Union criticizes chants mocking the May 18 pro-democracy uprising, calling on the National Assembly to enact an anti-discrimination law without delay

Some players from Baejaego High School chant "Let's go to Starbucks" against Gwangju Ilgo High School during a game. [Provided by reader]
Some players from Baejaego High School chant "Let's go to Starbucks" against Gwangju Ilgo High School during a game. [Provided by reader]

The Korean Government Employees' Union on Tuesday urged the National Assembly to enact an anti-discrimination law immediately, saying "hatred and discrimination can no longer be left unchecked," in response to a controversy over high school baseball players using chants that mocked the May 18 pro-democracy uprising.

In a statement released that day, the union said the incident showed "how precarious our society's awareness of human rights and history has become," adding that "following the Starbucks Korea controversy last May, a public space — a baseball stadium — has again been used to turn a specific region's tragedy into an object of ridicule."

The union said "hatred and discrimination can never be justified in the name of individual freedom," and that "acts that violate the dignity of others and attack specific groups and individuals corrode the social community and undermine the foundations of democracy."

The union said the controversy made clear that enacting an anti-discrimination law was a task that could no longer be deferred.

"An anti-discrimination law is not a law for specific minorities alone," the union said. "It is a law that guarantees the right of every person not to face unjust discrimination on any grounds — gender, disability, age, regional origin, employment type or sexual orientation. It is the minimum social safety net that allows all of us to live as dignified human beings."

The union also said "a society free of discrimination is a fundamental principle democracy must uphold and a challenge of our time that can no longer be postponed," urging the government and the National Assembly to "stop turning a blind eye to discrimination and hatred, and put in place institutional mechanisms that can prevent all forms of discrimination and provide real protection for victims."

Directing its call particularly at the National Assembly, the union said lawmakers must "move immediately to enact an anti-discrimination law so that everyone's dignity and equality are guaranteed," and called on the government to "develop effective measures to stop the spread of hatred and discrimination that undermine historical truth and democratic values."

The union said society as a whole "must not stand by while hatred and mockery go unchallenged," and called on all citizens to "stand together against discrimination and hatred to defend the values of democracy and human rights." It doubled down, saying "democracy cannot be built on hatred," and that "we must act now for a society where no one faces discrimination and the dignity of every person is respected."


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