The National Human Rights Commission said on the 6th that Honorary Professor Oh Young-geun of Hanyang University School of Law and attorney Kim Hak-ja were appointed as standing Commissioners, and attorney Jo Sook-hyun was appointed as a nonstanding Commissioner. Their terms are three years starting that day.
According to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) that day, President Lee Jae-myung appointed Honorary Professor Oh as a standing Commissioner from among four candidates recommended by the Human Rights Commissioner Candidate Recommendation Committee. Honorary Professor Oh fills the vacancy left by standing Commissioner Kim Yong-won, who retired on the 5th.
Honorary Professor Oh is regarded as a leading scholar of the Criminal Act in Korea and is credited with contributing to the development of theory and practice consistent with Korea's Criminal Act system. He served as president of the Korean Criminological Association in 2012, and in 2013 served as a Commissioner on the Prosecution Reform Deliberation Committee and as a Commissioner on the Sentencing Commission of the Supreme Court.
Attorney Kim is a former prosecutor at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and a legal expert who served as president of the Korean Women Lawyers Association and as human rights director and vice president at the Korean Bar Association. The People Power Party recommended attorney Kim to succeed standing Commissioner Lee Chung-sang, and the appointment was made that day after a personnel vetting process.
Attorney Jo worked at law firm Hanul, then as a partner at law firm Hankyul, and served as an adjunct professor at Ewha Womans University School of Law. Jo is currently a partner at law firm One. The Democratic Party of Korea recommended attorney Jo to succeed former nonstanding Commissioner Won Min-kyong.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) consists of 11 members, including a Chairperson, four standing Commissioners, and seven nonstanding Commissioners. Of these, four are designated by the president, three by the chief justice of the Supreme Court, and four are elected by the National Assembly.