4th Quarterly, 2006 No.142
The Sixth Session of the BLHRRI Project Concerning
“Discrimination Based on Work and Descent”
On October 15, 2006, the sixth session of the Project was held with two topics. The first topic was the survey conducted in Korea of public attitudes toward former Paekjeong (an outcast group in the Korean peninsular – for details about Paekjeong, see:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baekjeong) in contemporary Korea, and the second regarded the present conditions and the future of the work commissioned to the Special Rapporteurs concerning the elimination of discrimination based on work and descent by the UN Sub-Commission for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights. A brief report of the session follows.
Survey of Public Attitudes toward Former Paekjeong in Korea
Seo Jiyong and Seo Chiryong, who are currently taking a doctoral course at Momoyama Gakuin Graduate School, gave a presentation about their survey of public attitudes toward former Paekjeong. The survey was conducted through questionnaires in Busan, and cities located in Kyongsangbuk-Do and Kyongsangnam-Do during the period from August 22 to September 30, 2006. 218 people aged between 10 and 60 responded.
The questions were related to their knowledge about Paekjeong and their views on marriage involving Paekjeong descendants. According to responses to the first question, attitudes towards Paekjeong are so negative that the term is actually used to degrade people. Most people learn of Paekjeong through descriptions in the media. Regarding marriage with Paekjeong descendants, responses showed that parents would oppose marriage between their children with a Paekjeong descendant.
Based on the survey, the presenters described how the image of Paekjeong is presented in the media including the Internet, TV, movies and newspapers. The image presented is typically related to people in the past who were in charge of executing criminals with a sword that was also used for killing cows. Also, the term “human Paekjeong” is sometimes used when condemning or cursing someone.
Special Rapporteurs
The second topic was about current developments in the work of the Special Rapporteurs (SR) concerning the elimination of discrimination based on work and descent by Professor Yozo Yokota. As a SR, Professor Yokota stressed that the mandate of the SRs is in its final stage, and that they submitted an interim report to the Sub-Commission held in August 2006.
The interim report discussed the definition of discrimination based on work and descent, national and international norms concerning this type of discrimination, responses from relevant governmental and non-governmental institutions to a questionnaire sent from the SRs at the end of 2005, draft principles and guidelines, and draft recommendations.
The Human Rights Council has not yet specifically discussed the mandate of the SRs, nor the new organization of the Sub-Commission under the HRC. Unlike previously when the UN human rights system had the Commission on Human Rights and Sub-Commission under the ECOSOC, the new HRC will have more influence over UN member states.
The previous structure involved independent experts in human rights discussions at the Commission and Sub-Commission, so more objective and empirical outcomes could be expected. Under the new structure, government representatives will play a central role in resolving human rights problems, which may or may not have a negative impact on human rights discussions at the UN. The final draft will be prepared by the end of June 2007.
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