President Roh, “We Will Correct the Five Discriminations”

President Roh Moo-hyun announced yesterday, “The government will strongly carry out the reformation of the five discriminations, including sex, academic clique, the disabled, nonpermanent workers, and foreign workers, and we will fulfill our duty.”

That day, President Roh added, “Discrimination, elimination and egoism are the biggest enemies of human rights. Human rights should be practiced in our daily life,” at the commemoration of the 55th Universal Declaration of Human Rights held in the Convention Center at Seoul Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.

Following, President Roh emphasized, “The form of human rights movement should change from struggle to conversation and compromise. Foreigners should not be discriminated just because they are foreigners, and we should take an active role in protecting human rights from worldwide issues such as terror, drugs, poverty and environmental pollution.”

He added, “In the 1980s, many young people fighting the dictatorship were tortured and jailed, and I couldn’t stand watching it, so I joined in the social movement as a human rights lawyer and a labor lawyer. When I saw the dictatorship collapse, I confirmed the historical truth that the struggle for freedom, justice and human rights will be positively victorious.”

Jeong-Hun Kim jnghn@donga.com