By 
02-10-2024
Stella Liantsi
South and East Asia Researcher,
Global Human Rights Defence.
With Ahn Chang-ho at the helm of the government’s National Human Rights Commission of
South Korea’s dedication to equal rights had taken a grave blow.
In September 2024, during a National Assembly confirmation hearing, Ahn Chang-Ho made some comments that raised concerns regarding his intentions and his views on minorities’ rights. He reaffirmed his opposition to anti-discrimination laws suggesting that anti-discrimination legislation could be used to carry out a “communist revolution” as “Marxist and fascist operate with impunity in society”. He also suggested that passing anti-discrimination laws to protect minority’s rights would “infringe on the majority’s freedom of expression”. A further assertion in Ahn’s book that “sex crimes could increase rapidly as a result of showing skin and sexual urges” was also deemed to be without merit. In response to a Democratic Party legislator’s observation that these perceptions “showed a low level or sensibility in terms of gender sensitivity”, Ahn justified his statements saying that “there are reports to that effect overseas so the possibility is clearly there”. When the legislator asked whether he was aware of such attitudes and remarks that place blame for sex crimes on victims he dismissively replied “Why should that justify sex crimes?” rather than embracing concerns regarding victim-blaming.
Multiple human rights organisations and civic groups raised their concerns characterising him unfit to be a chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea and urging his withdrawal as a candidate.
Fast forward to today, President Yoon Suk-Yeol bypassed the National Assembly’s approval process and selected Ahn in spite of substantial resistance from civil society groups and his troubling confirmation hearing. Ahn’s confirmation fits into a concerning pattern under Yoon’s administration where 29 officials have been nominated without the National Assembly’s consent. Considering South Korea’s existing dismal record on minority rights, this nomination is especially disheartening. The only two nations in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development without comprehensive anti-discrimination laws are South Korea and Japan. In 2023, the United Nations Human Rights Committee recommended South Korea enact such legislation and voiced worry about persistent discrimination against numerous minority groups.
Anti-discrimination laws are required in South Korea to address unjust treatment based on race, sex, age, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and other characteristics as Human Rights Watch and civil society partners have highlighted. For now, it is important for the commission to oppose any erosion of its mission and uphold South Korea’s human rights duties. That will be essential to avoid any backtracking for the equality advances that have been made so far by the country.
Sources and further readings:
Hankyoreh, ‘Nominee to lead Korean human rights watchdog doubles down on derogatory rhetoric’ Hankyoreh (4 September 2024)
< https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/1157006.html > Accessed 1/10/2024.
Ryan Thoreson, ‘Dangerous Setback for Minority Rights in South Korea’ Human Rights Watch (23 September 2024) < https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/09/23/dangerous-setback-minority-rights-south-korea > Accessed 1/10/2024.
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