The Korea Coast Guard doing special crackdown on human rights violations such as foreign seafarers

From June 7 to July 22, the Korea Coast Guard will conduct a special crackdown on human rights violations of the socially disadvantaged, such as women, children, and foreigners.

The Korea Coast Guard plans to focus on cracking down on human rights violations targeting the socially disadvantaged, such as the disabled, foreign seafarers, and female seafarers at fish farms and salt farms in island areas that are in the human rights blind spot.

The major crackdowns include violations of human rights by foreign seafarers at fish farms and salt farms in island areas, forcible sexual harassment of female crew members, assaults by senior seafarers on general seafarers, and assaults on the detention of the disabled.

During this crackdown period, the Korea Coast Guard will conduct crackdowns in conjunction with the Korea Seafarers Employment Welfare Center and the disabled human rights groups. When investigating victims, etc., it plans to support the presence of a trusted person for psychological stability and smooth communication.

In the case of major arrests, in June last year, the captain of a cargo ship was arrested on charges of forcibly harassing a female navigator who was on duty such as hugging her from behind by using the dark inside of the wheelhouse while voyage.

In addition, the operator of a seafarer employment agency was arrested for extorting wages by forcing a seafarer who could not read to write labor contracts and forcibly aboard a fishing boat crew.

An official from the Korea Coast Guard said, "We urge you to actively report any crimes related to human rights violations, such as assaults on foreign seafarers at fish farms, salt farms and fishing boats in the island area. If there are foreign sailors who are in various difficult situations, it would be a good idea to use this opportunity to report it to the Coast Guard."

Reporter Jieun Lee