According to judgment of Constitutional Court of Korea in year 2010,[1] NHRCK is an independent agency inside the executive branch of the South Korean government.

Fulfilling an election pledge of then-President and 2000 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kim Dae-Jung, the commission was launched as an independent governmental body.

The NHRCK's vision is to create a society where dignity and human rights of all persons, including foreigners living in the Republic of Korea, are fully respected and realized.

It has eleven thematic divisions under three bureaus and several units including counseling center, human rights library, and public information service.

Its headquarters is located in Seoul, capital of the Republic of Korea, and is supported by three regional offices in Busan, Gwangju, and Daegu.

She stated that while the breaking of quarantine rules is still unacceptable, individuals should retain the freedom to choose not to be tracked with a wristband and have their personal data processed.

[5] The NHRCK also criticised the national COVID-19 response after marginalised groups faced discrimination due to the pandemic and gaps in support for vulnerable people were made apparent.

LGBTI individuals were discriminated against following an outbreak in Itaewon, a nightlife district in Seoul home to a number of gay clubs.

[6] As a result, media reports made a number of unfounded claims that linked the outbreak to sexual orientation, in some cases doxing LGBTI individuals.

[8] Domestic violence and elder abuse had also risen due to the pandemic,[9] as well as discrimination against non-citizens in the form of widespread mandatory COVID-19 tests for foreign workers.