Debate heats up over anti-racism bill

Debate over the issue of racial discrimination in Korea continues to spark controversy with a liberal lawmaker`s push for a law to protect against discrimination based on race.

Rep. Jun Byung-hun of the main opposition Democratic Party on Sunday posted the draft of his racial discrimination bill on his online blog, which has led to heated debate among the online community.

Although the Justice Ministry had previously submitted an anti-discrimination bill, including clauses on racial issues, the bill was never passed before the National Assembly ended its term last April. Jun`s bill, if legislated, would be the first law to officially ban racial discrimination in Korea.



At present, the prohibition of discrimination based on race is referenced only vaguely as a basic guiding principle in education or labor union law. The National Human Rights Commission forbids racial discrimination but its recommendation has no legal or binding authority.

Since the blog posting, hundreds of citizens have left replies on the blog or made phone calls to the lawmaker`s office -- some in support of the plan and some against it -- according to Jun`s aides.

Those who are opposed are mostly concerned that the promotion of foreign workers` rights may offer privileges to foreigners to the detriment of Korean workers.

"I admit that it is high time that Korea introduced some legal restrictions about the abundant racial discrimination, especially as the number of foreign workers and immigrant wives is soaring," said Kim Han-hee, a 28-year-old graduate student majoring in international law.

"However, such anti-racial discrimination legislation should be followed by another law that could regulate crimes by foreigners."

In Korea`s global society, it is as important -- in a humanitarian and legal sense -- to properly restrict the rights of foreigners as it is to protect their infringed rights, she said.

"I agree that racial discrimination is an evil custom to be abolished, but I do not think that our government needs to be overprotective about foreign nationals, especially when the rights of Korean nationals are not sufficiently guarded," said Lee Seung-han, a 29-year-old job seeker.

However, a number of legal and labor experts strongly supported the lawmaker`s bill.

"The `people` as stated in and protected by the Constitution do not only indicate nationals but human beings, general people residing within the country`s borders," said an official with the Korean Bar Association.

"Also, in order to promote the rights of Korean nationals overseas, we need to have a legal protective system for foreigners living in Korea."

Amid such controversy, Jun still plans to put forth the bill by the end of this month, according to his aides.

Jun`s posting followed a recent case in which prosecutors indicted a man for allegedly calling an Indian professor "dirty and smelly." He was charged with contempt because the present criminal law system does not include provision to deal with discrimination based on race.

(tellme@heraldm.com)





By Bae Hyun-jung