Civic movement promotes inclusive, multicultural society with K-Respect Day

Diplomats, lawmakers and students gathered in western Seoul on Thursday to celebrate the declaration of K-Respect Day, which aims to promote an inclusive society by rooting out prejudice and discrimination against foreigners.

Participants of the declaration ceremony for K-Respect Day and No Hate Comments Day, including the founder of the Sunfull Foundation Min Byoung-chul, center in the second row, and students from Seoul Foreign School, first row, hold banners to respect foreigners and root out malicious comments online at the National Assembly members' office building in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Thursday. [SUNFULL FOUNDATION]

Diplomats, lawmakers and students gathered in western Seoul on Thursday to celebrate the declaration of K-Respect Day, which aims to promote an inclusive society by rooting out prejudice and discrimination against foreigners as Korea grows increasingly multicultural.

Min Byoung-chul, founder of the Sunfull Foundation and endowed chair professor at Chung-Ang University, stressed the need to respect foreigners in Korea, where the number of foreign residents has reached 2.5 million.

Min also argued that respecting foreigners in Korea will help Korean expatriates living abroad.

“If we initiate a campaign to respect foreigners in Korea, our fellow 7.5 million Korean expatriates living around the world will also be respected in those countries,” Min said during his welcoming speech at a conference room in the National Assembly members’ office building in Yeouido, western Seoul.

Min said he felt the urge to promote such a campaign after watching a video showing a Korean family mistreating their daughter-in-law from another country.

K-Respect Day declaration ceremonies were observed on the same day in other countries, including India, Indonesia and the Philippines.

“I hope this campaign gains global recognition, promotes understanding and respect among people from different cultural backgrounds, and contributes to peace and prosperity for humanity,” Min said.

Min Byoung-chul, founder of the Sunfull Foundation and endowed chair professor at Chung-Ang University, center, and foreign students pose for a photo during the declaration ceremony for K-Respect Day at National Assembly members' office building in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Thursday. [SUNFULL FOUNDATION]

Philippine Ambassador to Korea Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega, who was among the heads of diplomatic missions that attended the event, echoed the significance of the initiative, further stressing that "the potential that diversity brings should be optimized based on core values of respect for human rights, equal treatment and the promotion of multiculturalism.”

People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker Song Seog-jun, one of the lawmakers who gave congratulatory remarks during the ceremony, also noted the significance of promoting the campaign amid ongoing conflicts and wars worldwide.

Eight lawmakers from the PPP and the Democratic Party co-chair the National Assembly Sunfull Committee.

The foundation also declared No Hate Comments Day on the same day to resolve social conflicts by eliminating malicious comments online.

Min established the Sunfull Foundation in 2007 with the launch of the Sunfull Movement, which was prompted in response to a Korean celebrity’s suicide due to malicious comments online. Over 7,000 schools and organizations in Korea have joined the movement, as well as every incumbent lawmaker.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]