The National Human Rights Commission of Korea(Chairperson, Hyun Byung-chul) concluded that monitoring access of players of the Lotte Giants Baseball Club through closed-circuit television installed at hotels where players were staying for away games is violating privacy and rights on personal information prescribed under the Constitution. The NHRCK decided to express opinion to the President of the KBO to devise and implement practical measures to prevent recurrence of such events pursuant to the 'Guideline on Human Rights in Sport Sector' recommended by the NHRCK in 2010.
The Lotte Giants Club was allegedly monitoring privacy of players before the 2014 baseball season starts, and players of the Lotte Giants Club took group actions which received public attention.
The NHRCK decided that even though this case is not subject to investigation, rectification and remedy under Article 30 of the Commission act, it is worth reviewing as this case is related to practices of sporting world.
The NHRCK confirmed that the Lotte Giants Club, as ordered by the representative, monitored access of players at night through closed-circuit television installed hallway of hotel where they were staying for away matches with cooperation of the hotel for two months from April to June in 2014. Manager of the team reported result of such monitoring to the Club, which were done without notice to or consent with players.
The NHRCK decided to express opinion to the President of the KBO which has authority to host matches and to take actions on behaviors that undermine development of professional baseball, concluding that this case shows a wide-spread practice that prioritizes effective management and control over players rather than protection of human rights in sports sectors.
The NHRCK, in 2010, created a 'Guideline on Human Rights in Sport Sector' which aims to promote and protect human rights in sport sector and to create human rights-friendly sporting environment, and the Guideline includes the Charter on Human Rights in Sport Sector of which article 18 prescribes that human rights infringements shall be prevented.
The NHRCK hopes that this case serve as an opportunity to create detailed manual for implementing the guideline in every sport field to create human rights friendly environment and culture, leading to healthy and sustainable development of sport sector in Korea.
