GWANGJU < invest Korea

According to Yonhap News,

Gwangju City proclaimed Gwangju Charters of Human Rights to promote the improvement of human rights.

Gwangju Mayor Gang Un-tae and 18 citizens recommended by various civic groups announced the charters accounting for 5 chapters and 18 articles.

Asian Charters of Human Rights were announced in Gwangju in 1998, but it is the first time not only in Korea but in Asia that charters of human rights are designated and proclaimed at a local government level.

Only two cities in Germany and Australia, respectively, designated and announced their own charters of human rights.

Gwangju said the charters are a historic statement with its citizens' aspiration and willingness to create an "Innovative Happy City" embedded in them.

The statement reflects Gwangju's strong determination to enhance its status as a city safeguarding human rights in a practical manner.

The charters stipulate a person's right to live as a member of the local community, not being discriminated against regardless of race, gender, disability and social status and an effort to respect each other's experience.

Five charters include a city allowing citizens to communicate freely and realizing their happy lives, compassionate city taking care of the marginalized, clean and safe city and cultural city.

Specific implementations contain the following details: realization of the autonomy of civic society, cultivation of democratic citizenship, guaranteeing the minimum standard of living, right to education and creating culture and arts and others.

Gwangju Charters were adopted through seminar, discussions and consulting by the UN and expert groups, after the designation committee, co-chaired by poet Go Eun and professor of Seoul National University Jeong Geun-sik, had been established last April.

"Gwangju Charters hold significance as Magna Carta Liberatum, the Great Charter of Freedoms. We will try to translate the principle of human rights into action in citizens' daily lives based on the charters," said a Gwangju official.

Source Text

Source: Yonhap News (May 21, 2012)

** This is an English translation of a Korean news article.