"Sogang University, which said 'Pay if you get COVID,'... Human Rights Commission: 'Liability waiver for infection is a human rights violation'"

A pledge reportedly required to be signed by dormitory students at Sogang University at the time. [Photo by Online Community Capture]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Seoyoung] Sogang University, which caused controversy by requiring dormitory residents to sign a pledge stating that "if you go out and get infected with COVID-19, you will bear civil and criminal liability," has received a corrective recommendation from the National Human Rights Commission of Korea.

Today (26th), the National Human Rights Commission of Korea judged, after reviewing a recent complaint related to this incident, that requiring the submission of such a pledge constitutes a human rights violation. The complaint was reportedly filed by a Sogang University alumnus, and the Human Rights Commission stated that it is currently drafting a decision recommending the Sogang University president to prepare measures to prevent recurrence. It was also mentioned that detailed investigation contents and reasoning will be included in the decision document.

Earlier, when confirmed COVID-19 cases occurred consecutively in the dormitories at Gonja International Hall and Bellarmine Hall at Sogang University at the end of March, the university collected pledges from dormitory residents. However, the pledge included not only a promise to "refrain from visiting places with a risk of COVID-19 infection when going out and to strictly follow personal quarantine rules," but also statements such as "if infected with COVID-19 due to visiting high-risk places, you promise to take responsibility for all economic losses and civil and criminal liabilities arising from this," which sparked controversy.

As the contents of the pledge spread, backlash grew on various online communities and social networking services (SNS). Netizens responded with comments like "It is shifting the responsibility for the spread of COVID-19 onto students," and "It is a human rights violation." Some students also expressed dissatisfaction, saying that the pledge was created under a coercive atmosphere and that they were forced to submit it.