The Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF), which comprises 26 national human rights bodies across the Asia-Pacific region, has called on South Korea to reconsider plans to relocate the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) to Sejong. The forum said the government has pushed ahead with the move without sufficient prior consultation with the commission, raising concerns that its independence could be undermined and that victims of human rights violations could find it harder to reach the body.
Samar Haj Hassan, chairperson of the APF, said in a letter on the 22nd that the forum "expresses deep concern over the Korean government's announcement that it will relocate the commission to Sejong in the first half of 2027." The letter was addressed to President Lee Jae-myung, with copies sent to Interior and Safety Minister Yoon Ho-jung and Foreign Minister Cho Hyun.
The APF stressed that the commission's independence and ability to carry out its work effectively must be guaranteed. While acknowledging the government's efforts to promote balanced regional development, the forum said the commission's independence under the United Nations Paris Principles must be fully respected even as those policy goals are pursued. It expressed particular concern over reports that the relocation plan and timeline were announced without prior consultation with the commission.
The forum also flagged the risk that the move could reduce access for victims of human rights violations. Separately from its regional offices, the commission's headquarters performs core nationwide functions including policy development, investigations, remedies, education and international cooperation. The APF said victims of human rights violations, human rights defenders and civil society must have meaningful access to the commission's expert support and decision-making processes, adding that the added burden of travel could become a barrier for people with disabilities, older adults, migrants and those in difficult financial circumstances.
The forum raised the possibility that the commission's international cooperation functions could be weakened. In-person exchanges with diplomatic missions, international organizations, civil society and visiting human rights experts play an important role in that work, it said, and the longer travel times and higher costs that would follow the move could dampen those relationships. Online communication and occasional visits cannot adequately substitute for face-to-face engagement, the APF said.
The forum also opposed any arrangement that would place the commission in the same building as a government ministry or other administrative agency. Citing a general observation by the Sub-Committee on Accreditation of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), the APF said physical proximity to government bodies can undermine a national human rights institution's independence and discourage complainants from coming forward. The point, it said, is that independence must be built into the layout of the premises so that victims alleging abuses by state authorities can approach the commission without hesitation.
The APF asked President Lee to review the relocation plan after substantive consultation with the commission. It said victims of human rights violations and civil society should take part in that process, and that the effects on independence, accessibility, international cooperation and continuity of work should be comprehensively assessed. It also urged that keeping the current headquarters be considered as an alternative.
"The relocation of government ministries does not in itself create a need to relocate the commission, which bears the responsibility of independently monitoring and overseeing the conduct of those ministries," the APF said, calling on the president to pay particular attention to ensuring that the commission's distinct status and mandate are fully respected.