S. Korean scholar elected as member of U.N. Human Rights Council expert panel

SEOUL, Oct. 8 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean scholar has been elected as a member of the U.N. Human Rights Council Advisory Committee for a three-year term, the foreign ministry said Thursday.

Baek Buhm-suk, professor at the Graduate School of Pan-Pacific International Studies of Kyung Hee University, won the membership of the 18-seat committee during an election in Geneva, Switzerland, on Wednesday.

The advisory committee consisting of human rights experts serves as a think tank for the Human Rights Council. It provides the council with thematic studies and research-based advice related to the promotion and protection of human rights.

Once elected, each committee member serves for three years and is eligible for reelection once.

It is the third time that a South Korean has joined the committee.

Chung Chin-sung, a sociology professor at Seoul National University, and Soh Chang-rok, a professor at Korea University's Graduate School of International Studies, served at the committee from 2008-14 and from 2014-20, respectively.

sshluck@yna.co.kr
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