Anti-discrimination law
Legislative setback shows lagging human rights situation
Liberal politicians’ efforts to prohibit discrimination for reason of gender, race, political beliefs and other differences suffered yet another setback in the face of a
formidable
opposing force: the church.
Reps. Kim Han-gil and Choi Won-shik of the main opposition Democratic United Party withdrew their respective sponsorships of bills for
across-the-board
anti-discrimination law Sunday. “Overstrained interpretation and rampant distortion of our legislative intents have made any rational discussion impossible any longer,” they said in a statement.
In a worst-case scenario, it will have been the third consecutive legislative failure, following similarly abortive attempts in the 17th and 18th National Assembly, illustrating the nation’s backwardness in human rights issues.
Rep. Choi’s bill put to a month-long public notice, for example, drew no fewer than 106,643 comments, almost all of which vehemently opposed his non-discrimination idea. Some called the two “gays” and “pro-North Korean” lawmakers, threatening to stage anti-campaigns against them and their co-sponsors in the next parliamentary elections.
The two bills commonly call for banning discrimination in employment and other social treatments of people with difference in about 20 categories, including region of birth, skin color, schooling, age, thoughts, medical history, religion, sexual orientation, appearance and marriage. The proposed laws also enable victims to seek compensation for damages through filing law suits, while imposing penalties of up to 30 million won for violators.
Korea’s religious rights are making incomprehensively sensitive reaction to giving equal rights to homosexuals, calling them “Satan.”
Koreans with good sense and consciousness often wonder whether they are living in the 21st century
when it comes to
human rights issues. At a time when up to 60 percent of Americans support equal treatment of same-sex couples and France is about to be the 11th European country to do so, the nation’s Christian conservatives call for schools to teach against homosexuals, especially since most scientific studies have proved one’s sexual orientation are innate, not acquired inclination. How is it possible to punish people for problems that are not their own faults?
The two opposition lawmakers’ withdrawal of their motions is
regrettable
, but it’s hard to blame politicians for putting their electability ahead of all else.
That points to the need for the government to step up its own legislative efforts, not least because such an enactment was included in President Park Geun-hye’s election pledge and is one of her administration’s 140 tasks. The U.N. Human Rights Council has also advised Seoul to legislate an anti-discrimination law, and the government decided to accept 42 of the 70 recommendations made by the world body’s Universal Periodic View.
President Park’s two biggest campaign slogans were making Koreans “happy” and pursuing “grand national unity.” Koreans can never be happy when they are discriminated against for reason of having different political beliefs and sexual orientation. Nor can the nation be united if its people are punished for exercising their natural rights.
The Constitution draws a clear line dividing boundaries between the church and the state. It is another role of the leader to remind possible violators of their own domains.
This is The Korea Times editorial for Tuesday, April 23, 2013.
※ 다음에 나오는 문제들은 본 사설에 나오는 주요 어휘들로 구성된 공인영어시험 대비 기출 및 예상 문제입니다.
※ Choose the number that has the same meaning as the underlined word.
1. Sending a man into space is a
enterprise.
① contemptible
② frightening
③ alien
④ loathsome
2. The mayor threatened
spending cuts.
① affluent
② overall
③ secret
④ meager
3. In order to encourage exportation and discourage importation, the government must
impose
import taxes.
① allow
② place
③ exempt
④ omit
※ 밑줄 친 표현과 가장 가까운 것을 고르시오.
4. I don't worry much about my convertible because Jim who has been my mechanic since its purchase is second to none
fixing cars.
① by means of
② at the time of
③ in the wake of
④ with respect to
5. 다음 중 우리말을 영어로 잘못 옮긴 것은?
① 그는 머리가 둔하기보다는 교육을 받지 못했다.
→ He is not so much unintelligent as uneducated.
② 그가 배움을 갖기에 너무 늙은 것은 아니다.
→ He is not too old to learn.
③ 지금쯤 잠자리에 들었어야 할 시간이다.
→ It is time you went to bed.
④ 그는 우리에게 했던 무례한 행동으로 후회하고 있다.
→ He is regrettable for his rude behavior to us.
[해설 및 정답]
1. [번역] 인간을 우주공간으로 보내는 일은
가공할
만한
모험적인 일이다.
Cf.
: 만만치 않은, 강한(powerful); 가공할 만한, 무서운(redoubtable)
[정답] ②
2. [번역] 그 시장은
전면적으로
지출을 삭감하겠다고 위협했다.
3. [번역] 수출을 장려하고 수입을 억제하기 위해, 정부는 수입세를
부과해야
한다
.
4. [해설] 전치사 to~ing형(또는 명사)
[
전치사 to는 기본적으로 방향, 접근, 도달(해석상 대개 「~에, ~로」해석 된다) 등의 뜻을 자지고 있다. 그러나 부정사의 to는 그 자체는 독자적인 전혀 뜻이 없다.]
[어구]
when it comes to (
동
)
명사
: ∼에 관해서라면, ∼의 점에서는(with respect to) ① by means of : ~에 의하여, ~을 써서, ~으로(by dint of) ③ in the wake of : ~의 자국(뒤)을 좇아서(following, subsequently, later); ~을 본따서; ~의 결과로서(as a result of)
[번역] 나는 지붕개폐형 자동차에 대해 그다지 걱정하지는 않는데 그것은 이 차동차를 구입한 이래 Jim이 자동차 수리에 관해서라면 어느 누구에게도 뒤지지 않기 때문이다.
[정답] ④
5. [해설] ① not so much A as B : A라기보다는 (차라리) B다(=not A so much as B, B rather than A, more B than A) ③ went는 가정법 과거로서 적절하다. ④ 사람을 주어로 할 경우 사용하는 형용사는 regretful이다. regrettable은 사람주어가 아닌 경우 사용된다.
Cf. He felt
regretful
over his son killed by the Taliban. (그는 탈레반에 살해당한 아들을 안타까워했다.)
[정답] ④ (regrettable → regretful)