April 28 - The NHRCK has selected eight themes to investigate human rights situation for 2009. These themes include protecting the right to study of disabled students and human rights of student-athletes, elderly people, residents living in non-residential districts and female celebrities. Below is the list of the selected themes.
1. Investigation on collecting and sharing personal information
: There has been an increasing concern regarding the violation of privacy through collecting and sharing personal information either by public authorities or private companies. However, there is no sufficient research or analysis on the damage and the situation, which makes it difficult to prevent and relieve those violated. Through investigation, the NHRCK will research the collection and management of personal information throughout public and private sectors.
2. Investigation on the rights of drop-out student-athletes.
: Korea’s negative environment for student-athletes – injury, discord with coaches and abuse – is the main cause of frequent drop-outs of student-athletes. The drop-out student-athletes face a number of difficulties in dealing with school life, social relationships as well as in entering into society. However, there are no supportive measures taken by either the Korean government or educational authorities. This theme is to investigate human rights situations of drop-out student athletes and to analyze foreign cases, so as to find measures to improve the supportive policy.
3. Investigation on the right of elderly people.
: Korea’s society is an aging society which faces rapid increase in the number of aged people. Given the particular views on family by the traditional Korean society, and serious economic, social and cultural problems the aging process might cause, government policies are inadequate to tackle this problem. The NHRCK will find measure to improve this situation through overall investigation and analysis of human rights of elderly people.
4. Investigation on residents living in non-residential areas.
: A number of families are living in non-residential places such as inns, dormitories, social facilities, shacks, greenhouses or containers. Most of them belong to the underprivileged classes, and live in poor environments where physical and psychological safety is not secured. The investigation is to grasp the overall situation of the dwelling environment of those families, and to provide measures to improve the situation through analyzing international human rights standards and cases of other countries.
5. Research on the judgment standard for wage discrimination with a focus on gender and age.
: Through conducting research on wages in Korea and other countries, the NHRCK will set standards of judgment for wages and develop an investigation manual on wage discrimination.
6. Research on exemplary cases of human rights policies of enterprises, and development of a “self check tool” for companies.
: There is an increasing concern over companies’ responsibility for protecting human rights. The NHRCK will research exemplary cases of companies and will develop a self-check tool customized for Korean companies
7. Investigation on the human rights situation of female celebrities.
: The recent suicide of a female actress in March triggered concerns in the Korean society regarding the issue of human rights violation against female celebrities. However, there has been no systematic research on the human rights of female celebrities. In this context, the NHRCK will find measures to improve the human rights situation of female celebrities through fact-finding research and multilateral analysis of foreign cases.
8. Research on developing measures to protect the right to study of disabled college students.
: There are an increasing number of disabled students at colleges after the implement of special selection of the disabled. However, reasonable accommodations to secure the right to study of disabled students are as inadequate, as it needs further investigation. This theme is to investigate convenience, accessibility and furnishings of educational facilities, the usage of study materials, and professors whether they are suitable for disabled students. The NHRCK will also research on the cases of foreign countries regarding how they promote the right to study of disabled students.
* Human Rights Fact-finding Investigation is to perceive various human rights situations in Korea. In the case where legal actions or policy recommendations are necessary, the NHRCK can use the investigation results for reference. Since 2002, the NHRCK has annually conducted this investigation research. As of 2008, a total of 142 themes have been researched.
