National Human Rights Commission of Korea Annual Report 2019
The petitionees used a mobile group chat room for the purpose of “enhancing coordination and
information sharing.” About 25 to 35 of all 40 staff members joined the chat room. It was found
that they shared a photo of a blister of victim 1 with the victim’s name, the medical information of
victims 3, 4, and 6, medical condition and a photo of an inflammation of victim 5, a video showing
victim 2 verbally abusing a care worker, and photos of problematic behaviors of victim 2 (breaking
a fan, pushing down a meal cart, and turning over a meal tray).
The information shared in the chat room concerns medical and illness conditions, symptoms
information was also shared with the nutritionist, cooks, and admin personnel who are not directly
Part 2
caused by dementia, and information that the victims would not want to disclose outside. The
involved in the treatment and protection of the victims. Thus, the Commission concluded that such
Key Activities
activities violated the personal rights of the victims.
The nursing home accepted the recommendations of the Commission.
E. National Institutions, Local Governments, and Public Service-Related
Organizations
Human rights of corporate taxi workers violated due to uniform regulations forced
upon them
On February 21, the Commission recommended the Mayor of a city to withdraw the order
forcing corporate taxi personnel to wear designated uniforms and imposing a fine if the rule is not
followed.
The Commission found that the municipal government’s enforcement of uniforms and fine
policy run against the principle of proportionality and is a violation of the right to make choices
and the freedom of action in general. Though forcing taxi service workers to wear a designated
uniform is not, by itself, a human rights violation, the Commission viewed that it fails to achieve
balance of legal interests, because uniforms alone do not significantly help improve taxi service
image, it is difficult to say that the policy would achieve the intended effect as they are no more
than a mere formality, and countering non-compliance with fine levy cannot be policy that
minimizes violation of the fundamental rights.
The municipal government accepted the recommendations of the Commission.
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