Active Army major named winner of human rights award

SEOUL, Dec. 10 (Yonhap) -- An active Army major was named the winner of a human
rights award Wednesday for his efforts to improve human rights conditions in the
armed services, the defense ministry said.

Kim Sa-gyun, currently working at the personnel department of the ministry, was
named one of the individual winners of the third Republic of Korea Human Rights
Awards by the National Human Rights Commission.
The 39-year-old was recognized for his role in promoting policies that raised the
status of soldiers with physical disabilities and other minorities in the
military, the ministry said.
The judicial affairs office of the Army was also named the winner of a group
prize for initiating an education program on human rights for servicemembers and
helping to create an atmosphere for what the ministry called a "sound and
reasonable" life for soldiers.
"The Ministry of National Defense will continue to work to improve the human
rights conditions of our servicemembers by raising their awareness and revising
or reforming practices and regulations that run against their basic human
rights," the ministry said in a press release.
Initiated in 2006, the human rights awards are given on Dec. 10 every year to
commemorate the U.N. Human Rights Declaration which marks its 60th anniversary
this year.
brk@yna.co.kr
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