| Gettyimagesbank |
By Jung Min-ho
| Courtesy of National Human Rights Commission of Korea |
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) said Tuesday that it distributed an education guide to 12,000 schools and other public institutions across the country as part of its effort to tackle discrimination and create a more inclusive society.
“Schools should work hard to create an inclusive environment where diversity is respected,” the NHRCK said. “They need to actively respond to the problem of pejorative terms and expressions so that every member can feel secure and a sense of belonging.”
The rights group defined “hate expressions” as those that “insult, demean, belittle or threaten” certain individuals or groups of people based on their gender, disability, religion, age or region of birth, saying such expressions often lead to discrimination against them.
The NHRCK said examples of such expressions include “heukhyeong,” “jjangkkae,” “sunggoi” ― which means “plastic surgery monster” ― and “kimchineo,” a term used to refer to a “gold digger,” among others.
It also claimed that prejudiced opinions such as “Sexual minority groups threaten the health of the people” and “Giving adolescents voting rights would ruin our country” should also be considered as “instigative hate expressions.”
Speaking of the constitutional right of freedom of speech, the NHRCK argued that, if certain expressions harm the principle of equality or endanger society, that right “can be limited.”
“Hate expressions that deny the existence of certain people, that alienate the people or harm their dignity are violence and discrimination,” it said.