On August 31, a delegation from the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) paid a visit to welfare facilities for the elderly, including a senior center and elderly nursing home. The delegation, which included Chairperson Young-hoang Cho and Standing Commissioner Ho-jun Kim, toured Seoul Eunpyeong Municipal Senior Center and Nursing Home for the Elderly located in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul and met with seniors there.
In a meeting between the delegation and the elderly, many opinions and recommendations were expressed in relation to issues regarding the rights of the elderly. In particular, the seniors called for the expansion of shelters, pointing out that even a space for older people such as a senior center has insufficient shelters allowing them to rest in a comfortable manner. In addition, the elderly said that many of the aged persons who receive no financial assistance from their children suffer difficulties because the government refuses to provide them financial support merely on the grounds that they have children. They opined that this situation should be rectified.
Meanwhile, some noted that the society failed to provide adequate jobs even to those aged persons who had pursued a professional career. According to them, offering jobs to older people is an issue that not only has economic implications, but also allows them to feel a sense of worth to their existence. They maintained that the government should implement a more active job-creation policy for the aged.
The delegation and participants also engaged in a brisk exchange of opinions on the need for public relations and educational activities to eliminate bias against the elderly, on the expansion of specialized staff and facilities regarding various senile diseases, and on the revamping of a legally binding Elderly Charter.
The issue of senior citizens’ human rights is one of the Commission’s ten major tasks for 2006. To date, the Commission has paid keen attention to seniors’ welfare and human rights.
