Korea reports efforts to protect victims of sports violence to UNHRC
South Korea's human rights watchdog said Monday it has reported the country's efforts to protect victims of violence and sexual harassment in the sports community to the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC).
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) said it has submitted a written statement on the nation's efforts to better protect sports violence and sexual harassment victims to the U.N. agency ahead of its recommendations for member states slated for next year.
The Me Too movement in the sports community has been a hot issue since Olympic short track skating champion Shim Suk-hee alleged early this year that she was sexually assaulted by her former coach, Cho Jae-beom, who has been indicted for assaulting other athletes. Other athletes followed suit, claiming they were assaulted by their coaches.
The UNHRC issues its policy recommendation for each member state every five years to monitor their protection of human rights. South Korea was given the fourth recommendation from the U.N. body in 2015.
The U.N. committee has begun its deliberation for its fifth recommendation for South Korea, due in 2020.
In its pre-reporting statement, the NHRCK explained its policy and legislation efforts to prohibit sexual discrimination and promote human rights of military servicemembers, prisoners, foreign migrant workers and North Korean defectors, among others.
"The latest statement contained the government's efforts to implement the UNHRC's fourth recommendations and the NHRCK's major policy goals," an official at the NHRCK said. (Yonhap)