[사회]Controversy over forced diagnostic tests for foreign workers…

[앵커]

As the group infection in the industrial complex in the metropolitan area continued, Seoul and Gyeonggi-do issued an administrative order so that all foreign workers were tested for Corona 19.

The criticism that it is clear discrimination that dismisses all people who are not related to infection as dangerous people was eventually withdrawn by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

Reporter Seung-jae Kim reports.

[기자]

A from Canada who came to Korea in 2003 and worked as an English teacher to raise a family,

I was angry at the news of the recent foreigner inspection.

A group infection has occurred in other areas of the metropolitan area, and it makes no sense to ask for a test because you are not Korean, who doesn’t care at all.

[A 씨 / 캐나다 국적 영어교사 : 저는 여기 살고 있고, 결혼도 했어요. 아이들도 있는데도 여전히 외국인으로 간주되고 있어요. 이제 와 감염이 의심되고 불결한 외국인으로 취급되고 있는 겁니다.]

As the group infections of foreign workers continued last month, some local governments, such as Gyeonggi-do and Seoul, issued an administrative order to all foreigners to undergo inspection.

There was also a clue that it would impose a fine of up to 2 million won to business owners who do not cooperate to undergo the test.

In response, some foreigners strongly opposed this as a measure that promotes discrimination and hatred of foreigners.

It is like saying that foreigners have a high risk of infection.

Recently, on social media and foreign communities, there are reports that the company has suffered discrimination, such as asking foreign employees to report their location at all times, or preventing neighbors from playing with foreign children.

[패트리샤 에버리나 / 미국 국적 직장인 : 한국에 온 뒤 코로나19 사태로 지난 1년간 차별을 경험한 외국인들은 이번 정책만큼은 더 이상 참기 어려운 불의라고 생각해 점점 더 큰 모욕감을 느끼고 있습니다.]

There is also continuing criticism that the local government has set a short inspection period of 2 to 3 weeks.

There are 400,000 foreign workers in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do alone.

There are many complaints that it is difficult to receive tests even if they wait in line at the screening clinic since early morning as testers mostly flock on weekends.

[오금순 / 중국 동포 : 어제 오후에 12시쯤에 나왔는데 사람이 너무 많아서 표 없으면 안 된다고 해서 집에 갔다가 오늘 (아침) 8시에 오후 2시 표를 받았어요. 이거 안 하면 일 받아주질 않으니까….]

Some foreigners have filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission saying that the executive order felt hate and racial discrimination.

The Human Rights Commission issued a statement to pay attention to the government and local governments, saying that the policy of separating migrants could harm social integration and lead to hate crimes, and the Seoul National University Human Rights Center demanded the withdrawal of the executive order.

[이주영 / 서울대학교 인권센터 전문위원 : 국적을 기준으로 코로나19 진단 검사를 의무화한 것은 과학적 근거가 없어 정당한 조치로 볼 수 없고요. 이들에 대해서 사회적 낙인이나 혐오를 조장할 수 있고 오히려 협력을 끌어내는데 역효과가 날 것이 우려됩니다.]

On the other hand, there are also voices that it should be made as an opportunity to strengthen quarantine management for foreign workers who have been insolvent.

As the controversy over compulsory foreigner inspection spread, the city of Seoul eventually withdrew the administrative order and recommended inspection for foreign workers in high-risk workplaces instead.

This is YTN Seungjae Kim.

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