The National Human Rights Commission of Korea decided to issue a public apology for its resolution recommending that former President Yoon Suk-yeol's right to defend himself be guaranteed during his impeachment proceedings, reversing course one year and eight months later.
The commission put the item — titled "Scrapping the Feb. 10, 2025 plenary resolution and resolving to issue a public apology" — to a vote at its 17th plenary session held on the 12th at the commission's headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul, and passed it. Of the 11 commissioners, six voted in favor: standing commissioners Lee Sook-jin and Oh Young-geun, and non-standing commissioners Sora Mi, Oh Wan-ho, Cho Sook-hyun and Kim Min-moon-jung. Four voted against: standing commissioner Kim Hak-ja and non-standing commissioners Kang Jung-hye, Han Seok-hoon and Kim Yong-jik.
Chairman Ahn Chang-ho, who had faced criticism that the recommendation on Yoon's defense rights amounted to an endorsement of the emergency martial law declaration, did not take part in the vote and abstained. Commissioner Oh said the shift "from opposition to abstention suggests he acknowledged the gravity of the matter in his own way." Commissioner Cho, by contrast, said it was "hard to view the abstention itself as the chairman withdrawing his position."
The provision calling for the earlier resolution to be scrapped was dropped from the final version, according to the commission. Instead of scrapping it, the commission decided to reflect on the past resolution and issue an apology in the commission's name. Commissioner Oh said the panel "judged that the apology was what mattered," adding that "examining the legal aspects could end up being a waste of time." Commissioner Lee said "interpretations of what scrapping would mean varied widely," adding that the latest resolution should be seen "as a way of making clear that the earlier decision was wrong and as a pledge not to create this kind of situation again."
Earlier in the day's session, Commissioner Lee said the commission "faced self-deprecation from within, that its pride as a defender of human rights had been damaged, and criticism from outside that it was a committee defending insurrection." The latest action, the commissioner said, "confirms that the earlier resolution did not align with the fundamental duties of a national human rights institution and forms a new institutional position that it will no longer be maintained as the commission's official stance."
Ahn, who abstained, said the commission's decision "was absolutely not intended to defend martial law or to represent any particular political position," while adding: "I regret that our sincerity was not properly conveyed, and I express regret over the misunderstanding and controversy surrounding our true intent."