Rights watchdog files constitutional petition against forced downsizing

SEOUL, March 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's human rights watchdog said on Monday
that it lodged a petition with the Constitutional Court, arguing that the
government's recent decision to downsize its organization and personnel infringes
on its status as an independent state organization.
The National Human rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) also said it asked the top
court for an injunction to prevent the government's move to streamline the rights
watchdog from taking effect.
The Ministry of Public Administration and Security has ordered the NHRCK to
restructure and slash its staff by one-fifth. The order was scheduled to be
approved at a Cabinet meeting on Monday.
"The ministry has infringed the commission's independent affairs and neglected
the legal procedures to push forward the downsizing plan," the watchdog said in a
statement. "So the commission decided to request the constitutional court's
judgment on the violation and procedural matters."
The ministry has said that the downsizing measure is part of a government-wide
effort to reduce spending, but the rights watchdog has argued that the cut is too
large.
Some indicate that its positive decisions on anti-government protesters against
U.S. beef import last year have run at odds with the conservative Lee-Myung-bak
government.
The organization has held two emergency meetings last week to look for various
legal actions and demanded that the government abort the restructuring strategy
which they claim ruins its independence.
"The government's idea aiming at contracting the human rights commission will
relinquish human rights in the country and undermine South Korea's international
status," it said.
Since its establishment in 2001, the commission has made a number of
groundbreaking decisions on the anti-communist law, death penalty and
conscientious military objectors. Although its recommendations are not legally
binding, they serve to induce self-correcting measures, which have contributed to
enhancing the human rights condition in South Korea to a certain extent.
brk@yna.co.kr
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