Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2008, published 98th ILC session (2009)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Republic of Korea (Ratification: 1998)

Article 1 of the Convention. Legislative developments. The Committee notes from the Government’s report that the Ministry of Justice is currently working towards the adoption of the draft Discrimination Prohibition Act. According to the Government, the draft Act addresses both direct and indirect discrimination. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the progress made in the adoption of the Act.

Articles 1, 2 and 3(d). Access of women to employment in the police force. The Committee recalls that the National Human Rights Commission issued a recommendation on 5 December 2005 to the effect that gender-segregated recruitment of police officers should be discontinued and that the quota system in this regard should be modified. The Committee notes from the Government’s report that the National Police Agency did not accept this recommendation because, in its view, the current system of recruitment was “favourable to women because women have less physical force than men”. Further, the National Police Agency considers that if the same physical criteria applied to men and women applicants, the proportion of women hired would be even lower. In order to enable the Committee to examine this matter, the Committee requests the Government to provide detailed information on the conditions and modalities applying to the recruitment of women to the police force as well as information on the number of women currently employed as police officers.

Practical application. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the practical application of the Convention, including relevant statistical data on the situation of the groups protected by the Convention, any relevant reports or studies that may be available, as well as information on the cases concerning discrimination in employment and occupation dealt with by the different competent bodies and leading cases decided by the courts.