By Kim Jae-heun
A fan of South Korea's women's ice hockey team has filed a petition with the National Human Rights Commission against the government move to form a unified women's ice hockey team with North Korea for the upcoming Olympics.
The fan, surnamed Hong, filed the complaint against Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Do Jong-hwan, arguing his controversial plan infringes upon the rights of the 23 South Korean ice hockey players in pursuing happiness and choosing careers, the commission said Wednesday.
He called on the minister to not try to form a unified team.
"The government says it will not harm original members of the South Korean national team, but if a single team is confirmed, letting North Koreans join deprives South Korean players' chance to compete in the game or reduces their playing time," Hong said.
He said that forming a single team was a totalitarian idea to accomplish a goal by sacrificing the rights of the minority; and for players it was more important to score and win games on the ice, than to sacrifice themselves for this.
The South Korean women's ice hockey team is participating in this year's Olympics as a host of the games; its participation in the next Games relies a lot on chance considering its world ranking.
"This could be the last chance to play in the Olympics for the 23 members of the national team, and the government is trying to steal that from them," Hong added.
The government suggested making a single South-North women's ice hockey team during high-level talks last Tuesday. It believes allowing North Koreans to join the team won't harm South Korean players as they will all retain their places. The government has requested cooperation from the International Olympic Committee and International Ice Hockey Federation.
Meanwhile, around 100 petitions have been posted on Cheong Wa Dae's public service website online as of Monday, opposing the plan.
South Korean woman's national ice hockey team coach Sarah Murray called it shocking news to form a South-North Korean single team only a few weeks ahead of the Olympic Games, saying that adding new players would weaken teamwork.
"South Koreans and North Koreans have a different style of practicing and training. It will take at least a month to teach our national team system, and I am nervous as a coach myself. Even if there may be helpful players in the North Korean team, I believe no players are good enough to join our first to third line," said Murray.
A fan of South Korea's women's ice hockey team has filed a petition with the National Human Rights Commission against the government move to form a unified women's ice hockey team with North Korea for the upcoming Olympics.
The fan, surnamed Hong, filed the complaint against Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Do Jong-hwan, arguing his controversial plan infringes upon the rights of the 23 South Korean ice hockey players in pursuing happiness and choosing careers, the commission said Wednesday.
He called on the minister to not try to form a unified team.
"The government says it will not harm original members of the South Korean national team, but if a single team is confirmed, letting North Koreans join deprives South Korean players' chance to compete in the game or reduces their playing time," Hong said.
He said that forming a single team was a totalitarian idea to accomplish a goal by sacrificing the rights of the minority; and for players it was more important to score and win games on the ice, than to sacrifice themselves for this.
The South Korean women's ice hockey team is participating in this year's Olympics as a host of the games; its participation in the next Games relies a lot on chance considering its world ranking.
"This could be the last chance to play in the Olympics for the 23 members of the national team, and the government is trying to steal that from them," Hong added.
The government suggested making a single South-North women's ice hockey team during high-level talks last Tuesday. It believes allowing North Koreans to join the team won't harm South Korean players as they will all retain their places. The government has requested cooperation from the International Olympic Committee and International Ice Hockey Federation.
Meanwhile, around 100 petitions have been posted on Cheong Wa Dae's public service website online as of Monday, opposing the plan.
South Korean woman's national ice hockey team coach Sarah Murray called it shocking news to form a South-North Korean single team only a few weeks ahead of the Olympic Games, saying that adding new players would weaken teamwork.
"South Koreans and North Koreans have a different style of practicing and training. It will take at least a month to teach our national team system, and I am nervous as a coach myself. Even if there may be helpful players in the North Korean team, I believe no players are good enough to join our first to third line," said Murray.
