The National Police Agency (NPA) announced their acceptance of a recommendation made by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea on August 6, 2007.
The recommendation requested that the NPA, among others, eliminate discriminatory restrictions on height and weight requirements in the recruitment of police officers, fire fighters, correctional officers, juvenile protection officers and railway safety officers.
There were four bodies identified as maintaining discriminatory structures in employment qualifications were the Administrator of the National Emergency Management Agency, the Minister of Construction and Transportation, the Minister of Justice and the Commissioner General of the National Police Agency. The three former organizations accepted the recommendation last January, but the NPA is the last body to recognize and accept it.
Currently, several restrictions on the height and weight of males and females inhibit many from attaining positions at the NPA. Males must be taller than 167 centimeters and weigh over 57 Kg, while females must be taller than 157 centimeters and weigh over 47 Kg.
Employing restrictions on weight and height in the employment process violates the prospective employee’s right to equal opportunity. A representative stated that the NPA has “chosen to abolish the weight and height qualifications as it could be labeled as discriminatory… To protect human rights, we will offer every applicant the same opportunity.”
With the acceptance of the Commission’s recommendation, the NPA says these restrictions will be eliminated in full by late next year.
The Administrator of the National Emergency Management Agency accepted the Commission’s recommendation in full on December 25, 2005, and lifted height and weight requirements on prospective firefighters. The Agency also stated that it would eliminate certain physical fitness tests that were not relevant to the work of firefighters.
The Minister of Construction and Transportation accepted the recommendation on May 9, 2006, stating their intentions to eliminate height and weight requirements, alone with commissioning a professional research institute to develop an appropriate fitness test. The test will be introduced with the permission of the Civil Service Commission in 2008.
The Minister of Justice maintains some requirements for height and weight of correctional officers and staff, but offers the opportunity to appeal cases to the Civil Service Commission. Height and weight requirements for civil servants in juvenile protection have been removed.
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea believes that the importance of human rights and equal opportunity is rising in Korean society. Though there is still much to be improved, both the private and public sectors are seeing the effects of the growing awareness of human rights. Acceptance of these reforms by government agencies is a promising sign that discrimination against minorities is attenuating in Korean society.
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea was established in 2001 to promote human rights education and defend those who have experienced discrimination, or have had a right violated, in Korea. The Commission offers counseling, full investigation and protection for citizens, along with educational initiatives for organizations.
