The National Intelligence Service (NIS) on Tuesday announced it has appointed attorney Kim Soo-hyun as the sixth Human Rights Officer of the North Korean Defectors Protection Center, effective May 1.
The Human Rights Officer, a role established under the Enforcement Decree of the North Korean Defectors Protection and Settlement Support Act, is a legal expert who monitors potential human rights violations while North Korean defectors entering South Korea undergo investigation and temporary protection at the NIS defector center. The officer also provides consultation on institutional improvements.
Kim is a legal professional who has worked as a human rights expert, the NIS said. She has served as a human rights director at the Korean Women Lawyers Association and as a public defender, dedicating her efforts to protecting the rights of those in blind spots, particularly female North Korean defectors.
"By guaranteeing the independent activities of the new Human Rights Officer and actively reflecting the officer's recommendations in our work, we will create a human rights environment in which North Korean defectors are assured of their rightful protections," the NIS said.
