Student activists push to end use of term "skin colored"

By Lee Haye-Ah
SEOUL, Aug. 26 (Yonhap) -- A group of high school students filed a petition with
the human rights watchdog urging the agency to promote a ban on the term "skin
colored" in media and marketing, arguing it is discriminatory against the growing
number of foreigners living in the country.

The "Gathering of Peace Loving Youth," an eleven-member group that formed in
2007, filed the petition with the National Human Rights Commission on Tuesday,
encouraging it to replace the term "skin colored" with the more racially neutral
"apricot."
The youth group staged a rally in Seoul ahead of the petition, accusing the
country's leading media outlets and businesses of fanning racism by continuing to
use the word "skin" to denote a color they say is not representative of many of
the country's non-Korean residents.
The human rights commission had ruled in August 2002 that the term "skin-colored"
incites discrimination and violates the rights of equality for foreign-born
residents in the country. Following suit, the Korean Agency for Technology and
Standards in May 2005 changed the color reference to "apricot."
A survey of news reports by the country's 10 leading media outlets, compiled from
August 2002, showed 570 references to "skin color," the student group said at the
rally. The same survey found 122 products sold at the top three discount chain
stores also used the description "skin colored," it said.
"It is our duty and right as citizens to stand up against what is wrong. Some
people say that we are too young to understand anything, but we are the future
leaders of this country," the group's leader, 18-year-old Kim Min-ha, told
Yonhap.
The Seoul-based group focuses on addressing historical and current social
injustices. They traveled to Tokyo two years ago to demand an apology for Japan's
sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II.
"The color issue may seem trivial, but it reflects racist ideas deeply rooted in
our society. Only after we raise awareness of such issues can we tackle the
greater challenges of racism," Kim said.
The students also lodged written protests with the three chain stores, warning of
possible boycotts against their products unless the references to skin color are
removed.
"I have been living here for 16 years and nothing has changed. I still feel like
I'm new to this place," said Kim Samin, a naturalized South Korean from Pakistan,
who works for the Korea Migrants' Center.
"I didn't know the term 'skin color' had been replaced by 'apricot,'" said Kang
Byung-ho, who watched the rally. "I'll use the new word from now on. I think it's
time for South Koreans to change their perception of foreigners."
The number of foreigners residing in South Korea surpassed the 1 million mark as
of May this year, constituting some 2.2 percent of the country's population.
"We will review the petition and jointly reach a decision," Yun Seol-a, a public
relations officer at the human rights commission, said.
ecuedy@yna.co.kr
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