and Communications, which states details on harmful information from the
Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and
Information Protection. The Act on the Management of Outdoor Advertisements
and Promotion of Outdoor Advertisement Industry also prohibits advertisements
with racial discrimination and gender discrimination.
Among the ordinances of local governments, the Seoul Ordinance of Student
Rights defines discriminatory words, behavior, or hate speech as “violation of
human rights,” and any student can ask for assistance from the Student Human
Rights Advocate when they have experienced hate speech.
However, these legal measures are not directly aimed at “hate speech,” so only
some of the hate speech is subject to regulations, rather than systematically and
comprehensively reacting to hate speech itself. Antidiscrimination acts should be
implemented to provide a fundamental legal basis for hate and discrimination, and
also overall legislation on hate speech.
Indirect measures may also be taken towards hate speech. In the case of
events during which hate speech may occur, state and local governments may
prohibit the use of facilities including plazas and lecture halls. For example,
Kawasaki, Japan has guidelines to limit the use of public facilities for events that
are expected to encourage hate speech towards a particular race. In Korea,
the National Assembly Member’s Office Building or the National Human Rights
Commission of Korea Building were borrowed for “transitional therapy” to spread
hate towards sexual minorities by stating that “sexual minorities should become
normal with treatment.” The UN Human Rights Committee suggested that the
Korean government block the rental of public buildings for “transitional therapy,”
43