Kwon Youngguk: "UN Recommends Anti-Discrimination Law for 14th Time... Action Needed Now, Not Later"

"Kim Moonsu Must Withdraw His Candidacy for Spreading Hate Speech"

Kwon Youngguk, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Labor Party, stated on the 16th, "The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has issued an opinion recommending that the Republic of Korea enact a comprehensive anti-discrimination law." He added, "I share the committee's deep concern and criticism regarding the reality of structural racism and the spread of hate."

Kwon Youngguk, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Labor Party, is giving a speech. Democratic Labor Party

In a statement released on this day, Kwon said, "The recommendation to enact an anti-discrimination law has been repeated since 2007, and this is already the 14th recommendation. In 1997, it was a campaign pledge of presidential candidate Kim Daejung, and in 2006, the National Human Rights Commission under the Roh Moo-hyun administration also recommended it. We can no longer postpone this for the sake of national consensus or for a later time."

Kwon stated, "Since the imposition of martial law, our society has been overflowing with words of discrimination and hatred. There is still no reflection on martial law itself, and Kim Moonsu, the People Power Party candidate who is running for president based on hate sentiment, is not qualified to run. He must immediately withdraw his candidacy."

Kwon pledged, "I will immediately enact an anti-discrimination law that explicitly prohibits discrimination on all grounds," and called, "Let us build a Republic of Korea where every citizen is equal and respected."

Kwon is the candidate selected by the Social Transformation Presidential Election Solidarity Council, which is composed of the Justice Party, the Labor Party, the Green Party, and civil society organizations. The Justice Party earned more than 3% of the proportional representation vote in the 2022 local elections, qualifying for participation in TV debates. Kwon is a former Pungsan Metal dismissed worker who passed the bar exam in 1999 and has since worked in the field of labor rights, including as a legal representative for the Ssangyong Motor mass layoff case. His key pledges include: reforming the electoral system, amending Articles 2 and 3 of the Trade Union Act, establishing a 1 million won minimum citizen income, and introducing a super-wealth tax on the top 0.1%.