Rights watchdog scraps recommendation on Yoon's right to defense, plans apology

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) has decided to revoke its previous recommendation urging former President Yoon Suk Yeol to receive a fair right to defense during his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court. The commission, chaired by Ahn Chang-ho who was appointed by Yoon, has since approved the repeal of the motion and plans to issue a public apology for the initial recommendation.

The decision comes in the wake of intense criticism the commission received in February 2025 over its initial stance, amid growing calls from Yoon's supporters for the impeached president to be granted a fair trial following his controversial martial law declaration on December 3, 2024.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.