Human Rights Commission: "Film Education Programs Must Guarantee Political Basic Rights of Youth"

"Unable to Identify Specific Damages"
Petition Dismissed

The Korean Film Council (KOFIC) must guarantee the political fundamental rights of adolescents when operating film education programs, according to a ruling by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK).

Yonhap News

On the 4th, the NHRCK reported that cultural artists and organizations in the film industry filed a complaint against KOFIC’s announcement of the bid for the '2024 Next-Generation Future Audience Development Project Operation Service,' which required the film and education programs to exclude politically neutral topics and specific ideologies or thoughts.

On the 17th of last month, the NHRCK expressed the opinion to the chairman of KOFIC that it is preferable to promote the operation of film education programs for adolescents by securing political neutrality in education rather than demanding the exclusion of specific topics, ideologies, or thoughts.

However, the NHRCK decided to dismiss the complainants’ petition. This was because no specific damages could be identified, such as restrictions on the complainants’ bids or violations of the fundamental rights of adolescents targeted by the education programs.

The NHRCK stated, "Demanding the exclusion of all political topics or specific ideologies and thoughts solely because the education is for adolescents contradicts the purpose of the current Public Official Election Act and Political Parties Act," adding, "It may excessively restrict adolescents’ rights to self-determination, freedom of conscience or thought, and suffrage."