December 10, International Human Rights Day, commemorates the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the members of the United Nations (UN) in 1948. The declaration includes individual rights in civil and political society, freedom of spiritual, public and political associations, and rights in social, economic and cultural matters. “Through the UN, the dignities of people are recognized every year throughout the world,” said Professor Chung Soon-dool (Social Welfare).

 

For its 60th anniversary at last year, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea held an international conference under the theme of multiculturalism with 150 experts from Mongolia, Indonesia and Nepal where a set of Seoul Guideline were adopted, and Asian countries pledged to cooperate to protect the rights of migrants. Awards were made this year to Ansan city for creating the first Foreign Residents’ Center in Korea where medical services, counseling for overdue wages and other daily difficulties are provided.

 

Individual prize winners include Kin Jong-chul, the Secretary General of the International Families Federation in Korea for endorsing human rights of multicultural families and Lee Jae-yoon, who worked for the release of the Korean-Japanese Kim Hee-ro, who was imprisoned in Japan for fighting off yakuza mobsters from Koreans.

 

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