Hwang Hee: "Prevention Activities Are the Solution to School Violence in Sports"

Proactive Role Demanded from Sports Ethics Center "Policy Direction Must Be Reexamined"

Hwang Hee, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, recently urged the Sports Ethics Center, a dedicated organization, to take a proactive role regarding the recent school violence involving professional volleyball players.

On the 17th, Minister Hwang visited the Sports Ethics Center in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, and discussed issues related to eradicating human rights violations and protecting human rights in the sports community with Chairperson Lee Jin-sook and others. He pointed out, "Although the National Sports Promotion Act was amended three times last year to strengthen the institutional foundation for protecting sports human rights, there are still shortcomings such as violence among athletes." He demanded, "Since the Sports Ethics Center's authority and functions have been enhanced, including the power to conduct investigations ex officio and to request disciplinary action in cases of obstruction or refusal of investigation, it must take a proactive role."

The Sports Ethics Center was launched in August last year to improve human rights violations and corruption in the sports community. It was separated from the sports community and integrated the reporting functions of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's Sports Corruption Reporting Center, the Korea Sports Council's Clean Sports Center, and the Korea Paralympic Committee's Sports Personnel Support Center, raising expectations; however, its achievements have been minimal so far. In December last year, the labor union filed a petition with the National Human Rights Commission, claiming that Center Director Lee Suk-jin violated human rights.

Minister Hwang emphasized, "While post-incident investigation and handling are important, preventive activities such as human rights education, awareness improvement, and operation of human rights monitors are the fundamental solutions to protecting human rights." He added, "Review the current status of the sports human rights protection system and re-examine policy directions."

The reason for the repeated call for review is the recent controversy over school violence committed during the school days of professional volleyball players Lee Jae-young and Lee Da-young of Heungkuk Life, and Song Myung-geun and Shim Kyung-seop of OK Financial Group. The victimization was revealed not through the Sports Ethics Center but via anonymous internet bulletin boards. Their respective teams, the Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO), and the Korea Volleyball Association have proceeded with investigation and disciplinary procedures.