Jun Ji-hye, a reporter at the finance desk of The Korea Times, focuses primarily on economic policy and government agencies, mainly covering the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministry of Budget and Planning, the National Tax Service and the Korea Customs Service. She previously covered financial authorities, including the Financial Services Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service, and earlier worked on the political, city and business desks, reporting on a wide range of issues.
65% of transgender people experience discrimination
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By Jun Ji-hye
By Jun Ji-hye
Sixty-five percent of transgender people in Korea have experienced discrimination and harassment over the past year, according to a survey released by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK), Tuesday.
The state-run human rights watchdog said 591 transgender individuals aged 19 and older participated in the online survey.
The NHRCK carried out the survey, in cooperation with Sookmyung Women's University Research and Business Development Foundation, for the first time among government institutions to determine discrimination and hatred against transgender people here.
The survey showed that transgender individuals have faced discrimination and harassment almost everywhere ― within their own families, schools and workplaces.
Harassment has occurred especially frequently at home ― 44 percent said their family members suppressed their expressions of gender identity, while 39.4 percent experienced verbal violence. Thirteen percent suffered the suspension of economic support from their parents just because they were transgender, while 9.9 percent experienced physical assault.
In middle and high school, 21.3 percent suffered unfair treatment from their teachers, while 67 percent listened to teachers making hateful comments against transgender people during class.
In workplaces, 26.6 percent had to put up with their seniors or colleagues repeatedly criticizing their appearance or way of speaking, while 8.2 percent suffered sexual harassment.
Among 109 respondents who have served in the military, 12.4 percent said they have suffered sexual violence during their service.
“Korea has been falling behind other developed countries in establishing laws and policies to improve human rights of transgender people,” an NHRCK official said. “We will prepare policy recommendations based on these survey results.”