"Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination... Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Law Must Be Enacted Quickly"

National Human Rights Commission of Korea building. Photo by National Human Rights Commission

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] On the 21st, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea urged the prompt establishment of laws and systems to regulate racial discrimination in observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

On this day, the Human Rights Commission issued a statement in the name of Chairman Song Doo-hwan, saying, "Our society still lacks awareness of the seriousness of racial discrimination and has not yet established mechanisms to regulate acts of racial discrimination, such as the enactment of a comprehensive anti-discrimination law." It pointed out, "In the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic, where acts of racial discrimination have escalated into hate crimes, it is now time to no longer neglect the issue of racial discrimination in our society."

To promote the domestic implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Human Rights Commission, after a plenary committee resolution last month, submitted opinions on the government's draft consolidated report to be submitted to the UN, including ▲ the prompt enactment of a comprehensive anti-discrimination law and the establishment of provisions defining racial discrimination ▲ prevention and improvement of human rights violations caused by prolonged protection and excessive use of protective equipment in facilities for foreigners. The Commission also plans to submit an independent report to the UN to provide necessary data and opinions for the review of the government report.

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination was designated by the UN in 1966 to commemorate March 21, 1960, when 69 people were killed during a peaceful protest against apartheid policies in South Africa.

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