Korea: Compulsory HIV Testing For E2 Visa
Is this a breach of Human Rights? Is this a backward approach of a country claiming it’s progressive ‘developed’ status? Is Korea really going down the same route as so many under developed despot regimes? I sincerely hope there is time to think again……..
“The evidence is that compulsory HIV testing is neither required nor helpful for effective HIV prevention. Being a violation of human rights, it can even have a chilling effect on prevention programmes. Yet many societies continue to advocate this inappropriate approach.”
Source
December 22, 2007 at 10:48 pm
I would need more info to comment on this. I did recieve a request to fill out which contains the following question, ” Are OR were you HIV (AIDS) positive?”
December 22, 2007 at 10:52 pm
Yes, I’ve seen the wording of the questionnaire (including the rather strange ‘were you HIV (AIDS). However, following this self assessment, the medical in Korea will check for HIV.
February 12, 2008 at 6:57 am
I wonder why its considered a violation of human rights. It’s just a test and the should be able to say who is allwoed in their country and who is not.
April 16, 2008 at 3:30 am
so if you test positive when you get to korea, you will be thrown out and denied visa, and have to pay your flights back? this sounds unfair.
June 19, 2008 at 3:41 pm
How is this a violation of Human Rights?
You should go read and understand what human rights are first before you post complaining about someone taking yours away. Visit Myanmar and try explain to them what a breach of human rights are or talk to survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime. Its sad that you use this term so easily and try to group yourself with people who really are suffering. You should be ashamed trying to lump your “cause” under “Human Rights violations”.
Fankly, If you dont like it, leave Korea no one is forcing you to live in Korea and no one is forcing you to get this test. You have a choice and you have options…unlike other people who really are losing their human rights and have no options and have no choices.
June 19, 2008 at 3:51 pm
I’m not going to get into a long bebate with you Richard and I do see your point. However, human rights issues have long since moved on from the comparison of extremities. I suggest that you invest in a couple of good contemporary books on the subject. Human rights abuse is relative and widely accepted as such as we now accept the concept of ‘relative poverty’ of which I’m sure you are aware.
Thanks for your comment.
September 7, 2008 at 3:36 pm
This is the most retarded law on the books, world-wide. It’s discriminatory, ineffective, childish, paranoid, and delusional. It’s nothing more than state-sponsored stigmatization of people with a medical condition.
People with HIV can, and do, work at home and abroad. They live their lives out just like everyone else, have babies, have careers, travel, etc. The fact that people on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy(with no detectable virus) CAN’T spread the disease, even if they have unprotected sex or share needles just goes to show the complete lack of understanding and incompetence of government legislators.
It costs roughly $30/month/person to treat HIV and completely eradicate it from the population. How much does it cost to detain and deport someone? How much tax would that person have paid if they were working? How much is lost in quality of the work-force?
Thumbs up their assess… Thumbs up their assess…
How about someone who participates in a vaccine trial? They would have antibodies which show up on the test… Should they be deported, even though they don’t even have HIV?
FUCK KOREA AND ALL THE COUNTRIES THAT HAVE STIGMA LAWS!!!!
October 14, 2008 at 11:10 am
Me and my wife are coming to Gimahe, South Korea on November 1, pending our Consulate interview next Monday. The process and applying from the States was long and a tad costly, but now that we have completed it, it will be easier next time around. We plan on teaching ESL as a career for many years in Korea and eventually perhaps Japan. I am very sensative to Human Rights issues, but this random testing, in my opinion, is simply part of the growing pains for the Hague convention that Korea has subscribed to for less than 1 year. All agendas aside, these beefed up laws really do benefit the children and the random testing will devolve once most results are returned negative.
April 27, 2009 at 8:19 pm
How do the medical checks benefit Children? I can appreciate the criminal record check but don’t see any reason why an HIV + individual should be excluded from teaching children. Can you explain why HIV screening ‘benefits children’ as you have said?