harassment as one of the discriminatory acts violating equal rights. Sexual harassment
refers to a sexually-suggestive comment or act made by employees of public institutions,
employers or workers that causes sexually-related humiliation or degradation in business,
employment or other relations in or outside the workplace by using his or her position or in
relation to business or sexual conduct that results in disadvantage in employment by
reasons of refusal to respond to sexually suggestive language, act or demand.
In 2011, the Commission received a total of 1,802 complaints of discriminatory acts,
down by 878 from the previous year. Since the enactment of the Disability
Anti-Discrimination Act in 2008, there was a huge increase in complaints of discrimination
reflecting complaints by people with disabilities groups among others, but the number of
group complaints did not increase in 2011. While discrimination based on gender, age,
pregnancy and delivery, and medical history slightly decreased year on year, those based
on academic backgrounds and social status rather increased.
In 2011, the number of complaints resolved fell by 10%. 188 were resolved by the
Commission issuing recommendation (up by 83%) and 79 cases (down by 21%) were
settled by mutual agreement. 364 cases were resolved on their own during investigation
and thus dismissed or rejected, which was 16.5% decrease from 436 in 2010.
The Commission monitored execution of its recommendations and also conducted
public promotion with press release and other communications to raise the public’s
awareness of discrimination.
Year 2011 offered the Commission an opportunity to raise awareness and reflect on its
mission of rectifying discrimination in the society, in addition to complaints investigation
and remedies. First, under the slogan, ‘A Decade of Addressing Discrimination:
Rediscovering Discrimination’, the Commission carried out a variety of projects. Forums
and discussions were organized to review progress and identify remaining challenges based
on cases received and resolved by the Commission for the past decade. It announced 'Top
10 Discriminatory Practices Corrected in Korea' in reflection of implications of its
recommendations during the last decade and published an essay titled ‘chun-cha-man-byul
102
Part II. Major Activities of the Commission