Common core document forming part of the reports of States parties
Republic of Korea *
[Date received: 22 February 2016]
Contents
Page
I.Land and people3
A.Geography3
B.Population, language and religion3
C.Other socio-economic indicators4
II.General political structure4
A.Modern political history4
B.Type of government5
C.Political organization6
III.General legal framework of human rights protection9
A.Acceptance of international human rights norms9
B.Legal framework for the protection of human rights at the national level10
C.Framework within which human rights are promoted at the national level11
D.Reporting process at the national level11
E.Information on non-discrimination and equality and effective remedies12
Annex14
I.Land and people
A.Geography
1.The Republic of Korea is situated on the Korean Peninsula, which is 950km long and 540km wide, and has a total area of 223,405 square kilometers. The Peninsula is situated in the northwestern corner of the Pacific Ocean and is flanked by China to its west and Japan to its east.
B.Population, language and religion
2.The people of the Republic of Korea have been regarded as a relatively homogeneous ethnic society. Sharing distinct physical characteristics, the Korean peopleare believed to be descendants of several Mongol tribes that migrated to the Korean Peninsulafrom Central Asia. Korean is the official language.
3.As of 2014, the Republic of Korea’s total population was estimated to be 50,424 thousands with an estimated density of 502.8 people per square kilometer.Statistics show that 12.7 percent of the total population are 65 years or older in 2014.
4.Owing to the Republic of Korea’s successin economic development, the overall health of Koreans has improved significantly over the pastthree decades. In 1970, the life expectancy was 58.7 years for males and 65.6 for females. Thesefigures then increased to 78.5 for males and 85.1 for females by 2013.
5.The infant mortality rate has declined sharply, with a concurring drop inmaternal mortality. As a result of thelow birth rate and extended life expectancy, the populationdistribution is now shaped more like that of a vase. The young population (under the ageof 15 years) will make up a decreasing portion of the total, while senior citizens (over 65 years)will account for some 24.3 percent of the total population by the year 2030.
6.Great importance has traditionally been placed on education as a means for self-fulfilment, as well as for social advancement. Modern schools were introduced in the 1880s, and with the founding of the Republic of Korea in 1948, the Government began to establish a modern educational system, making six years of elementary school education mandatory in 1953. Compulsory education was later extended to middle school, which constitutes three years of secondary education, and applied nationwide in 2004. Today, the Republic of Korea holds one of the highest literacy rates in the world.
7.The nation’s rapid industrialization and urbanization in the 1960s and 1970s was accompanied by the continuous migration of rural residents into the cities, particularly Seoul, which resulted in the heavy urbanization of metropolitan areas. However, in recent years, anincreasing number of people have moved to newly developed suburban areas of Seoul.
8.Korean culture includes awide variety of religious elements.Historically, Koreans lived under the influences of Shamanism, Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. In modern times, the Christian faith has made strong inroads into the country.Moreover, the population of religious believers has expanded markedly with the emergence ofreligious institutions as influential social organizations. As the Republic of Korea guarantees religious rights in the Constitution, Koreans are free to lead religious lives according to their own choices and convictions.
C.Other socio-economic indicators
9.The Republic of Korea has undertaken economic development in earnest since 1962. In less than four decades, the Korean economy has transformed dramatically. An outward-oriented economic development strategy using exports as the engine ofgrowth contributed greatly to the dramatic economic transformation of the country. Based on this strategy, a number of programmes were implemented and brought an economic success. As a result,from 1962 to 2014, the Republic of Korea’s gross domestic product (GDP) increased fromUS$2.4 billion to US$1,410.0 billion, making the Republic’s economy the world’s thirteenthlargest (in terms of GDP). Its per capita gross national income (GNI) soared from US$91 in 1962 to US$28,180 in 2014. The nation became thetwenty-ninthmember country of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development(OECD) in 1996.In 2010, it also became the twenty-fourth member of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) in the OECD.
II.General political structure
A.Modern political history
10.Until the late nineteenth century, Korea, then called the “Joseon Dynasty,” remained a “HermitKingdom,” adamantly opposed to Western demands for diplomatic and trade relations. A number of Asian and European countries competed with each other for influence overthe Korean Peninsula. In 1910, Japan forcibly annexed Korea and institutedcolonial rule. All government functions as well as industries were taken over by the Japaneseand the country was oppressed and exploited owing to Japanese imperialist control. Thirty-fiveyears of Japanese rule ended in 1945 when Japan was defeated by the Allied Forces during theSecond World War.
11.After liberation, the Soviet Union and the United States divided the Korean Peninsula in two at the 38th parallel.As each occupation force imposed its own system on the area under its jurisdiction, efforts toestablish a united independent government in the peninsula were constantly thwarted. Asconflict between the United States and the Soviet Union intensified, the issue of the Korean Peninsula was placed on the agenda of the United Nations, which decided to hold general electionsunder the auspices of the United Nations Temporary Commission on Korea (UNTCOK).
12.The first elections were carried out on 10 May 1948 in the areas south of the 38th parallel, andSyngman Rhee was elected as the first President of the Republic of Korea in 1948. Meanwhile,north of the 38th parallel, as the Soviet Union denied entrance to the UNTCOK, a communist regimewas established under the leadership of Kim Il Sung.
13.On 25 June 1950, the Korean War broke out. The War devastated the Peninsula, leavingalmost 3 million Koreans dead or wounded, and millions of people homeless and separated fromtheir families. A ceasefire was signed in July 1953.
14.As democracy in the Republic of Korea was still in its developing stages duringthe 1950s, the country experienced tremendous political and economic difficulties.President Rhee stepped down in April 1960 as a result of a student-led uprising, and theSecond Republic was established in August later that year, as Chang Myon of the Democratic Party formed agovernment.
15.The Second Republic, however, was brought down by a coup d’état led byMajor General Park Chung-hee on 16 May 1961. The Supreme Council for NationalReconstruction, headed by Major General Park, took over the legislative, executive and judicialfunctions of the Government.
16.Park Chung-hee became President in an election in 1963. His Administrationpursued rapidindustrialization and achieved high economic growth during the 1960s and 1970s, a period that isoften dubbed as “the Miracle on the Han River.” Despite high growth in the Koreaneconomy during this time, government rule under Park Chung-hee was accompanied by severerestrictions to political rights and civil liberties.
17.President Park’s assassination in October 1979 resulted in a tumultuous transition periodthat was ruled under martial law. Subsequently, Choi Kyu-hah, who was installed as a caretakerPresident during this time, resigned in August 1980. Chun Doo-hwan was elected President ofthe Republic of Korea by the National Conference for Unification, which was established under the Park Administration and functioned as a collegeof electors.
18.Pro-democracy movements intensified throughout the 1980s and presidential elections bydirect popular vote were restored by constitutional revision in 1987. Roh Taewoo, also a formergeneral, was elected President under the new Constitution, and the democratic advances achievedduring his Administration set the stage for the election of the first civilian president in 32 years. Kim Young-Sam, a long-time pro-democracy activist, was elected President in 1992 on theruling party ticket.
19.In the 1997 presidential election, Kim Dae-jung, a leader of the major opposition, NationalCongress for New Politics, was elected. This transition of power from the ruling to the opposition party was the first-ever peaceful transition in Korean constitutional history.
20.In February 2003, Roh Moo-hyun was inaugurated as the sixteenth President, and hisAdministration, called “Participatory Government,” launched a Policy of Peace and Prosperity.The Policy was an outgrowth of President Roh Moo-hyun’s strategic vision, which envisaged the layingof the foundation for peaceful unification and the groundwork for a take-off towards becomingan economic hub of Northeast Asia through the promotion of peace in the Korean Peninsula andthe pursuit of common prosperity between the two Koreas.
21.In February 2008, Lee Myung-bak was inaugurated as the seventeenth President of the Republic of Korea. To carry on the legacy of historic progress, his Administration aimed to nurture new growth engines and to revive the economy to benefit ordinary people. The Lee Administration also strived to meet the complicated challenges including globalization, the advent of an age of knowledge and information, global warming and diversification of international relations.
22.In February 2013, Park Geun-hye, the first female President of the Republic of Korea, was inaugurated. Her Administration presented a new vision: “A New Era of Hope” and placed priorities in achieving economic revival, happiness for the people, cultural renaissance, and laying the foundation for peaceful unification. It also attaches a great importance to universal values such as human rights and democracy.
B.Type of government
23.The Republic of Korea is a democratic republic. The Constitution of the Republic of Korea, in its preamble, statesthat the primary constitutional aim is to afford equal opportunities to every person and providefor the fullest development of individual capabilities in all fields, including politics, economy,society and cultural life, by further strengthening the basic free and democratic order conducive toprivate initiative and public harmony. It also institutionalizes the separation of powers and therule of law.
24.The Republic of Korea’s political system is a semi-presidential system encompassing some of the characteristics of a parliamentary system. The President is directly elected and a Prime Minister is appointed by the President and approved by the National Assembly. The Executive, including the President, often introduces bills to the National Assembly.
C.Political organization
1.The President
25.The President of the Republic of Korea, a leader of the executive branchand head of State, is selected through secret ballots in direct national elections by allcitizens who are 19 years of age or older. The President serves a single non-renewable five-year term. The most recent presidential election washeld in December 2012.
26.Candidates for the Presidency must meet the following conditions: 1) Be 40 years of age or older: 2) Be a national of the Republicof Korea: and 3) Beeligible to vote (election violations and other high crimes, as well as severe mentalillness, may result in legal disenfranchisement).
27.The single-term prevents holding the reins of governmentpower for a protracted period of time. In the event of presidential disability, the powers of the Presidency pass to the Prime Minister, followed by members of the State Council in the order of succession predetermined by law. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the Presidency, a successor must be elected within 60 days.
28.The President’s duties include safeguarding the independence of the Republic of Korea, defending the Constitution, pursuing peaceful reunification of the homeland, and heading the executive branch.
29.The President’s powers include holding veto power over National Assembly bills (whichcan be overridden by a two-thirds majority of the National Assembly), attending and addressingNational Assembly meetings, submitting a referendum directly to the public, declaring war andconcluding peace, serving as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, declaring martial law,promulgating law, submitting government budgets to the National Assembly, and granting amnesties, commutations, and awards. Many of the Presidential powers are subject to approval by the National Assembly.
30.The President may not be charged with criminal offences during his or her term of office exceptfor insurrection or treason. The President appoints and dismisses public officials, including thePrime Minister and members of the State Council, who hold office at the president’s directive and may beremoved by the president’s order.
2.The Prime Minister, State Council and executive branch
31.Under the Presidential system of the Republic of Korea, the President performs his or her executive functions through the State Council, which is made up of 15 to 30 members and presided over by thePresident. The State Council, through which the President delegates his or her authority, is a constitutionally established deliberative body composed of the leaders of various government departments as determined by the President.
32.The Prime Minister is appointed by the President and approved by a simple majorityof the National Assembly. As the principal executive assistant to the President, and a member ofthe State Council, the Prime Minister supervises the administrative ministries and manages theOffice for Government Policy Coordination under the direction of the President. The Prime Minister alsohas the power to deliberate major national policies within the State Council, and to attendmeetings of the National Assembly.
33.Members of the State Council are appointed by the President upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister and are subject to a hearing at the National Assembly in review of their qualifications. They lead and supervise their administrative ministries, deliberate major state affairs, and act on behalf of the President. Members of the State Council may attend any meetings of the National Assembly, report on State administration or deliver opinions. Members of the State Council are collectively and individually responsible tothe President only.
34.In addition to the State Council, the President has several agencies under his or her direct control to formulate and carry out national policies: the Board of Audit and Inspection, the National Intelligence Service, and the Korea Communications Commission. The heads of these organizations are appointed by the President, but the presidential appointment of the Chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection is subject to the approval of the National Assembly. The Board of Audit and Inspection is independent from the President in carrying out its duties.
3.The Legislature
35.The National Assembly is a unicameral legislature, composed of 300 members (constitutional provision sets a minimum of 200 members)who serve a four-year term. Only nationals of the Republic of Korea who are eligible to vote andare 25 years of age or older may run for election to the National Assembly.
36.Out of the 300 members, 246 are elected by the plurality of votes from electoral districts and the remaining 54 members obtain their seats through a proportional representation system where seats are distributed to parties based on the percentage of the total votes they garnered on the requirement they pass the threshold of 3 percent of valid votes or obtain more than five seats from the district vote. The system is aimed at reflecting the voices of people from different walks of life while enhancing the expertise of the Assembly.
37.The National Assembly is vested with a number of functions under the Constitution, foremost of which is legislative power. Other functions of the Assembly includeapproval of thenational budget, matters related to foreign policy, declaration of war, the stationing of Korean troops abroad or of foreign forces within the country, inspection or investigation of specific matters regarding state affairs and impeachment.
38.A member of the National Assembly is not held responsible outside the Assembly for any opinions expressed or votes cast in the legislative chamber. During a session of the Assembly, no Assembly member may be arrested or detained without consent of the Assembly except in the case of a flagrant criminal act.
39.There are two types of legislative sessions: regular and extraordinary sessions. The regular session is convened once a year from September through December, and an extraordinary session may be convened upon the request of the President or by one-fourth or more of the members of the Assembly. The period of a regular session is limited to 100 days and that of an extraordinary session to 30 days.
4.The Judiciary
40.The Judiciary of the Republic of Korea consists of the Supreme Court, High Courts, District Courts, Patent Court, Family Courts, Administrative and Local Courts, and the Military Court.
41.The Supreme Court is the highest judicial tribunal. It hears appeals on cases rendered by lower courts. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is appointed by the President with the consent of the National Assembly. Other Justices are appointed by the President upon the recommendation of the Chief Justice. The term of office for the Chief Justice is six years and is not renewable. The Chief Justice must retire from office at the age of 70. The term for other Justices is six years. Though they may be re-appointed in accordance with legal provisions, they must retire from office when they reach the age of 65.
42.The Military Court has jurisdiction over criminal cases only. It tries all crimes which are recognized in the civilian society, as well as crimes under the Military Criminal Law and Military Secret Protection Law.
5.Independent Organizations
a)The Constitutional Court
43.The Constitutional Court was established in September 1988 as a key part of the constitutional system. The Court is empowered to interpret the Constitution, review the constitutionality of all statutes, make judicial decisions on impeachment or on the dissolution of a political party, and pass judgment in competence disputes and constitutional complaints.
44.The Court is composed of nine Justices appointed by the President. However, three of them are appointed from candidates selected by the National Assembly, and three appointed from candidates recommended by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The term of office is six years and is renewable.
b)National Election Commission
45.In accordance with the provision of Article 114 of the Constitution, the National Election Commission was established as an independent constitutional agency. It carries out the management of elections and national referenda, and deals with administrative affairs concerning political parties and funds.
46.The National Election Commission is composed of nine members, including one Chairperson and a full-time Vice Chairperson (Standing Commissioner). Three members are appointed by the President, three are nominated by the National Assembly and three are designated by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson (Standing Commissioner) are elected from among the commissioners. The Secretariat is led by the Secretary General, who is a Minister-level civil servant.
47.Four other important election related Commissions are under the umbrella of the National Election Commission. The three permanent Commissions are the National Election Broadcasting Debate Commission, the Internet Election News Deliberation Commission and the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission. The National Election Broadcasting Debate Commission decides the format of election debates while Internet Election News Deliberation Commission makes decisions related to internet news content during an election. The National Election Survey Deliberation Commission oversees and adjudicates on matters regarding surveys and polls and prevents any false information from being spread through illegal surveys. Lastly, as a temporary Commission, the Boundary Delimitation Commission for National Assembly Elections has been created in 2015 and has taken over the role of setting election boundaries from the National Assembly.
III.Generalframework for the protection and promotion of human rights
A.Acceptance of international human rights norms
48.The Republic of Korea is a party to the following seven core human rights treaties: International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Detailed information on the acceptance of main international human rights treaties is as follows:
|
Core universal human rights treaties |
Date of ratification, accession or succession |
Declarations/ reservations |
Recognition of specific competences of treaty bodies |
|
CERD |
5 Dec. 1978 |
None |
Individual complaints (art. 14): Yes |
|
ICESCR |
10 Apr. 1990 |
None |
|
|
ICCPR |
10 Apr. 1990 |
Yes (art. 22) |
Inter-State complaints (art. 41): Yes |
|
ICCPR-OP 1 |
10 Apr. 1990 |
None |
|
|
CEDAW |
27 Dec. 1984 |
Yes (art. 16(1 g)) |
|
|
OP-CEDAW |
18 Oct. 2006 |
None |
Inquiry procedure (arts. 8 and 9): Yes |
|
CAT |
9 Jan. 1995 |
None |
Inter-State complaints (art. 21): Yes Individual complaints (art. 22): Yes |
|
CRC |
20 Nov. 1991 |
Yes (art. 21(a), 40 para. 2(b)(v)) |
|
|
CRC-OP-AC |
24 Sept. 2004 |
None |
|
|
CRC-OP-SC |
24 Sept. 2004 |
None |
|
|
CRPD |
11 Dec. 2008 |
Yes (art. para. 25(e)) |
|
|
Other main relevant international instruments |
Ratification, accession or succession |
||
|
ILO fundamental conventions |
Yes(except 87, 98, 29, 105) |
||
|
Protocol to prevent suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children |
Yes |
||
|
Protocol against the smuggling of migrants by land, sea and air |
Yes |
B.Legal framework for the protection of human rights at the national level
49.In the Republic of Korea, international human rights treaties duly concluded and promulgated under the Constitution have equal effect as domestic law.
50.The Constitution of the Republic of Korea guarantees basic human rights and stipulates thecategories and nature of human rights. It also stipulates the scope of the limitation of basichuman rights and the obligation of the state to reaffirm and guarantee the inviolability ofindividual human rights. The Constitution stipulates that basic freedoms and rights shouldnot be undervalued simply on the grounds that they are not specified in the Constitution.
51.The entire spectrum of human rights is covered by arange of acts. Such acts reaffirm and specify human rights and fundamental freedoms. Noprovision of an individual law can infringe on basic human rights beyond the limitationsstipulated in the Constitution, and in the case of an infringement, the matter may be referredto the Constitutional Court for a review of the constitutionality of the provision.
52.In principle, the protection of human rights is ensured through criminal punishment andcompensation for damages. Administrative measures that violate human rights can benullified or cancelled through administrative appeals or administrative litigation.Furthermore, when the violation of fundamental human rights due to the act oromission of public power is not redressed even after all procedural remedies have beenexhausted, one can file a complaint before the Constitutional Court.
53.Apart from judicial decisions, victims of human rights violations can petition the National Human RightsCommission for remedies through the recommendations ofsuch institutions. The National Human Rights Commission was established in November2001 as a national human rights institution independent from government organizations. The Commission undertakes various activities including makingrecommendations for the improvement of policies, laws, institutions and practices. It also conducts a wide-range of investigations on human rights conditions and provides recommendations on discriminatory practices. In addition, it provides human rights education forcompanies, the press and life-long education facilities. The Commission helps citizens togain a better understanding of human rights by developing and distributing human rightsanimation and movies, and by holding exhibitions of human rights cartoons, pictures,films, and posters.
54.The Government established the Human Rights Bureau in theMinistry of Justice responsible for coordinating human rights policies within the Government in order to ensure an integrated approach to the range of diverse human rights issuesdealt with by various ministries.The National Human Rights Policy Council, which is presided over by the Minister of Justice and consisted of Vice Ministers of various Ministries, deals with the task ofdiscussing and coordinating key issues of human rights and establishes human rights policies such as the National Action Plans (NAP) for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.
55.The NAP is a comprehensive human rights policy in which a number of related ministries and institutions participate. The second “NAP 2012-2016,” which is follows the first plan “NAP 2007-2011,” was adopted in March 2012 and is currently under implementation.
C.Framework within which human rights are promoted at the national level
56.The Republic of Korea has provided the public with information on human rights through the publication of international instruments on human rights in Korean, aswell as through the educational programs at schools.
57.The Ministry of Justicereviews international conventions on human rights, prepares them for domesticapplication, and establishes national human rights policies to be implemented at the national and local government level.
58.The texts of international conventions on human rights to which the Republic of Korea isa party have been disseminated in Korean. Information and reports from internationalorganizations which conduct the study of human rights are also available through the Ministry of Justice and theMinistry of Foreign Affairs.
59.The concluding observations of the treaty monitoring bodies have been translated intoKorean for distribution to relevant institutions and have been made public through government websites.
60.Government representatives participate in human rights seminars, courses andother similar events organized by other Governments, international organizations, and NGOs.The Government consults with NGOs in preparing national reports on the implementation of international human rights treaties.
61.The Government published and distributed a booklet concerning the NAP whichincludes relevant provisions of the seven core human rights treaties (ICCPR, ICESCR, ICERD, CEDAW, CAT, CRC, CRPD) and concludingobservations of each treaty body so as to raise human rights awareness among public officials and other professionals with respect to internationalhuman rights mechanisms.
D.Reporting process at the national level
62.The Republic of Korea, as a member state of the United Nations, cooperates with the UNsystem “to achieve international co-operation … in promoting and encouraging respect forhuman rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion” (Art. 1 para. 3 of the UN Charter) and is committed to fulfilling theobligations under the UN Charter. Abiding by the Universal Declaration ofHuman Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948, the Republic of Korea willobserve the basic human rights treaties and standards which serve to embody the principlesset out in the Universal Declaration.
63.The Republic of Korea, as a state party to seven core human rights treaties, has faithfully submittedreports on the measures taken by the Government to implement the international human rights treaties.
64.When writing a country report on the implementation of internationalhuman rights treaties, one ministry serves as a focal point and coordinator. The focal point ministry writes a draft of the state report in cooperation with other relevant ministries. The focal point ministry holds a number of consultation meetings to examine the draft. The Government endeavors to reflect opinions of the National Human Right Commission and NGOs in drafting country reports through consultation meetings.
65.The Government guarantees and promotes civil, political, economic, social and culturalrights while endeavoring to protect the human rights of thevulnerable and minorities such as children, women, persons with disabilities, and foreigners. The Government takes note ofconcluding observations made by the human rights treaty bodies in establishing its policies and laws on the promotion and protection of human rights.
66.In particular, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs distributes concluding observations of the treaty bodies as well as their follow-up suggestions among relevant ministries and agencies. It also requests progress reports and updated information of country report reviews from other relevant ministries. Recommendations of treaty monitoring bodies are incorporated in the NAP, and the implementation of the NAP has been reviewed by the National Human Rights Policy Council. The Government seeks ways to implement the recommendations of the treaty monitoring bodies in cooperation with various stakeholders in the society.
E.Information on non-discrimination and equality and effective remedies
67.The principle of equality and non-discrimination are specified in numerous articles in the Constitution of the Republic of Korea. Article 11 guarantees equality before the law and equal protection of the law for everyone. Article 31, paragraph 1 stipulates that all citizens have an equal right to receive education, and Article 32, paragraph 4 states that special protection has to be accorded to working women and they may not be subjected to unjust discrimination. Article 36, paragraph 1 also provides that marriage and family life are based on the gender equality.
68.While there is no general law on the prohibition of discrimination, there are numerous laws that prohibit discrimination in each area. These laws vary in terms of anti-discrimination grounds and scope, and the level of protection and punishment. Examples of such laws include the National Human Rights Commission Act, the Anti-Discrimination Against and Remedies for Persons with Disabilities Act, the Act on Age Discrimination Prohibition in Employment and Aged Employment Promotion, the Labour Standards Act, the Employment and Support for Work-Family Reconciliation Act, the Act on the Protection of Fixed-Term and Part-Time Employees, and the Act on the Protection of Dispatched Workers.
69.In general, measures against discriminatory acts include recommendations, administrative measures, and criminal punishments. Recommendations are provided by the National Human Rights Commission, which is mandated to investigate individual complaints under the National Human Rights Commission Act and the Disability Discrimination Act. The National Human Rights Commission of Korea Act provides for the 19 grounds of discriminations, including the race, color of skin, gender, disabilities, etc.
70.On the other hand, administrative measures are provided for discrimination based on age in employment as well as discrimination against non-regular workers.Criminal punishments are included in the Labor Standards Act and the Equal Employment and Work-Family Reconciliation Support Act.
71.In cases where discriminatory acts constitute crimes specified in criminal law, they shall be punished accordingly. Compensatory orders could be rendered through civil lawsuit, as well. If a victim seeks remedy through judicial procedures, he or she will be provided with legal support provided he or she belongs to the low income.
72.In particular, the Anti-Discrimination Against and Remedies for Persons with Disabilities Act was enacted in order to legally ensure human rights of persons with disabilities. The Act prohibits both direct and indirect discrimination against persons with disabilities, which includes the refusal to provide reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities.
73.The Government established the Act on the Treatment of Foreigners in Korea in July 2007 for the improvement in the legal and social status of foreigners living in Korea. It provides foreigners with support for economic activities, information and education, assistance for their integration into society, and consultation for legal and civil petitions. The Act stipulates that the Minister of Justice shall set up a framework plan for policies related to foreigners every five years.
Annex
Major statistics (Korea National Statistical Office)
Land and Population: 1980-2014
|
Year |
Land area 1 (km 2 ) |
Population 2 |
Populatio n d ensity |
M/ F r atio* |
Farm population 3 |
||
|
(Thousands) |
Rate of Increas e ( % ) |
(Thousands) |
Percentage of total population |
||||
|
1980 |
98,011 |
38,124 |
1.57 |
389.0 |
101.8 |
10,827 |
28.4 |
|
1985 |
98,349 |
40,806 |
0.99 |
414.9 |
101.7 |
8,521 |
20.9 |
|
1990 |
98,730 |
42,869 |
0.99 |
434.2 |
101.3 |
6,661 |
15.5 |
|
1995 |
99,286 |
45,093 |
1.01 |
454.2 |
101.4 |
4,851 |
10.8 |
|
2000 |
99,461 |
47,008 |
0.84 |
472.6 |
101.4 |
4,031 |
8.6 |
|
2005 |
99,646 |
48,138 |
0.21 |
483.1 |
101.0 |
3,434 |
7.1 |
|
2010 |
100,033 |
49,410 |
0.46 |
493.9 |
100.4 |
3,063 |
6.2 |
|
2011 |
100,148 |
49,779 |
0.75 |
497.1 |
100.4 |
2,962 |
6.0 |
|
2012 |
100,188 |
50,004 |
0.45 |
499.1 |
100.3 |
2,912 |
5.8 |
|
2013 |
100,266 |
50,220 |
0.43 |
500.9 |
100.2 |
2,847 |
5.7 |
|
2014 |
100,284 |
50,424 |
0.41 |
502.8 |
100.1 |
2,752 |
5.5 |
* M/F ratio : Males per 100 females .
Source : 1 Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Cadastral Statistics .
2 KOSTAT , Population Projection .
3 KOSTAT , (Year end “ 0 ” or “ 5 ” ) Census of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries .
(Others) Estimated from Survey of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries .
Population Structure and Dependency Ratio: 1980-2014
|
Year |
0-14 years ( % ) |
15-64 years ( % ) |
65+years ( % ) |
Dependency ratio ( % ) |
|
1980 |
34.0 |
62.2 |
3.8 |
60.7 |
|
1985 |
30.2 |
65.6 |
4.3 |
52.5 |
|
1990 |
25.6 |
69.3 |
5.1 |
44.3 |
|
1995 |
23.4 |
70.7 |
5.9 |
41.4 |
|
2000 |
21.1 |
71.7 |
7.2 |
39.5 |
|
2005 |
19.2 |
71.7 |
9.1 |
39.4 |
|
2010 |
16.1 |
72.8 |
11.0 |
37.3 |
|
2011 |
15.6 |
73.0 |
11.4 |
36.9 |
|
2012 |
15.1 |
73.1 |
11.8 |
36.8 |
|
2013 |
14.7 |
73.1 |
12.2 |
36.8 |
|
2014 |
14.3 |
73.1 |
12.7 |
36.9 |
Source : KOSTAT, Population Projection .
Average Household Size: 2005-2015
|
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
2.89 |
2.86 |
2.83 |
2.79 |
2.76 |
2.71 |
2.67 |
2.64 |
2.61 |
2.57 |
2.55 |
Source : KOSTAT, Household Projection (Private Household Population/Number of Private Households) .
Life Expectancy: 2005-2013
|
Year |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
Total |
78.6 |
79.2 |
79.6 |
80.1 |
80.5 |
80.8 |
81.2 |
81.4 |
81.9 |
|
Male |
75.1 |
75.7 |
76.1 |
76.5 |
77.0 |
77.2 |
77.6 |
77.9 |
78.5 |
|
Female |
81.9 |
82.4 |
82.7 |
83.3 |
83.8 |
84.1 |
84.5 |
84.6 |
85.1 |
Source : KOSTAT, Life Tables .
Infant and Maternal Mortality Rate: 2009-2013
|
Year |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
Infant mortality rate |
3.2 |
3.2 |
3.0 |
2.9 |
3.0 |
|
Maternal mortality rate |
0.45 |
0.55 |
0.61 |
0.37 |
0.38 |
Source : KOSTAT, Causes of Death Statistics .
Total Fertility Rate: 2005-2014
|
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
|
1.076 |
1.123 |
1.250 |
1.192 |
1.149 |
1.226 |
1.244 |
1.297 |
1.187 |
1.205 |
Source : KOSTAT, Vital Statistics .
Female-headed Households: 1980-2010
|
Year |
Female-headed households (Thousand households) |
Female-headed households (Percentage of total ordinary households) |
|
1980 |
1169 |
14.7 |
|
1985 |
1501 |
15.7 |
|
1990 |
1787 |
15.7 |
|
1995 |
2147 |
16.6 |
|
2000 |
2653 |
18.5 |
|
2005 |
3485 |
21.9 |
|
2010 |
4497 |
25.9 |
Source : KOSTAT, Population and Housing Census 1980~2010 .
Gini Coefficient: 1990-2014
|
1990 |
1995 |
2000 |
2005 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
|
|
All households 1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
0.310 |
0.311 |
0.307 |
0.302 |
0.302 |
|
Urban households 2 |
0.256 |
0.251 |
0.266 |
0.281 |
0.289 |
0.289 |
0.285 |
0.280 |
0.277 |
Source : KOSTAT .
1 Household Income and Expenditure survey & Farm-Household economy Survey using disposable income data .
2 Household Income and Expenditure Survey using disposable income data, urban households (excluded one-person and farm households) .
Unemployment (Percentage): 2005-2014
|
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
|
3.7 |
3.5 |
3.2 |
3.2 |
3.6 |
3.7 |
3.4 |
3.2 |
3.1 |
3.5 |
Source : KOSTAT, Economically Active Population Survey .
Ten Leading Causes of Death
|
2012 |
2013 |
|
|
1 |
Malignant neoplasms |
Malignant neoplasms |
|
2 |
Heart diseases |
Cerebrovascular diseases |
|
3 |
Cerebrovascular diseases |
Heart diseases |
|
4 |
Intentional self-harm |
Intentional self-harm |
|
5 |
Diabetes mellitus |
Diabetes mellitus |
|
6 |
Pneumonia |
Pneumonia |
|
7 |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases |
|
8 |
Diseases of liver |
Diseases of liver |
|
9 |
Transport accidents |
Transport accidents |
|
10 |
Hypertensive diseases |
Hypertensive diseases |
Source : KOSTAT, Causes of Death Statistics .
Economic Indicators
|
GDP (US$ billion) |
Per capita GNI (US$) |
GDP growth (Percentage) |
GDP deflator rate (Percentage) |
Gross external debt position(US$ million) |
|
|
1971 |
9.5 |
292 |
10.5 |
11.2 |
- |
|
1976 |
29.8 |
826 |
13.1 |
21.3 |
- |
|
1981 |
72.4 |
1,842 |
7.2 |
16.6 |
- |
|
1986 |
115.5 |
2,742 |
11.2 |
5.0 |
- |
|
1991 |
325.6 |
7,508 |
10.4 |
9.5 |
- |
|
1996 |
597.9 |
13,077 |
7.6 |
4.3 |
144,835 |
|
2001 |
533.1 |
11,180 |
4.5 |
3.7 |
116,038 |
|
2005 |
898.0 |
18,508 |
3.9 |
1.0 |
161,956 |
|
2006 |
1,011.0 |
20,823 |
5.2 |
-0.1 |
229,224 |
|
2007 |
1,122.7 |
23,033 |
5.5 |
2.4 |
338,707 |
|
2008 |
1,001.7 |
20,463 |
2.8 |
3.0 |
315,944 |
|
2009 |
902.3 |
18,303 |
0.7 |
3.5 |
344,607 |
|
2010 |
1,094.3 |
22,170 |
6.5 |
3.2 |
355,911 |
|
2011 |
1,202.7 |
24,302 |
3.7 |
1.6 |
400,034 |
|
2012 |
1,222.4 |
24,696 |
2.3 |
1.0 |
408,928 |
|
2013 |
1,305.4 |
26,179 |
2.9 |
0.9 |
423,505 |
|
2014 1 |
1,410.0 |
28,180 |
3.3 |
0.6 |
425,449 |
Note : Preliminary figures.