South Korea is one of many countries in the world where you might hear Queen played just about anywhere: TV ads, shopping centers, and bars where revelers of all ages sing “We Are the Champions” at the top of their lungs. No one who was here will ever forget how that song became the second national anthem during the soccer team's run to the semis of World Cup 2002. Ironically, however, South Korea is one of only thirteen countries in the world that wouldn't welcome the legendary rockers were frontman Freddie Mercury alive today.
Like the U.S. did, up until last year, South Korea bans foreigners with HIV/AIDS from working inside its borders. Now its government may follow the U.S., as the Korean Immigration Service (KIS) is considering lifting the ban on certain kinds of workers. Whether or not this comes to pass, it would seem that Korea (and the U.S.) must break the habit of looking overseas to find scapegoats for its own problems. Take for instance the burning of poppy fields in Asia while junkies languish in the gutter at home and meth-labs pump out millions in illegal drugs right under their nose. Try asking a Korean why it's so easy to find a whore just about anywhere and they'll invariably point to the Japanese. First of all, it's been generally known for decades that the best way to fight the drug war is to cut demand not supply. In Korea's cities, it's the very Korean thugs who get rich off exploitation of women, who make prostitutes a dime a dozen, not the Japanese. Now turn again to HIV/AIDS. According to sfgate.com, “Until 1990, health experts say every AIDS victim contracted the disease overseas or through contact with a foreigner living here...but by 1993, the majority of new infections were passed from Korean to Korean.” This begs the question, Then what's the use of banning foreigners today?
It certainly comes as good news that the ban may soon be lifted. From an international perspective, it has been a blot on Korea's image. All twelve other countries who uphold a similar ban are recognized by human rights advocates as either “partly free” nor “not free.” Sadly though, the lifting of the ban may be no more than an attempt to save face, as the “decree” came from UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon who “suggested that Korea abandon the policy.” One reason to see it as an empty gesture is that “there will be no changes for E-6 visa applicants” (entertainers, artists, athletes and models). This can't be taken seriously. Instead, one is tempted to joke that Eminem and Ronaldo better wear their “jimi-caps” at all times if they ever plan on performing in Seoul or Sudan.
Let's be honest: the real threat to Koreans is Koreans. Studies show that the lack of sex education in Korea is astounding, and may cause a huge rise in HIV in the coming years. When 30-33% of athletes polled answered, yes, you can get HIV from skin contact or a mosquito bite, the education system has failed them. When only 6.4% of sexually active adolescent males answer yes, I use condoms, the red flag goes up.
It would be interesting if someone did a study of how banning HIV/AIDS-infected people from Korea has effected the rate of new infections in this country, or in the U.S. or Yemen. It seems unlikely that it would indicate a slowing. Whatever the case may be, “Health officials say a thriving sex industry and a reluctance to talk about safe sex likely contributed to a steady increase in infections.”
Whether you make sweatshirts in KyunggiDo, grammar worksheets in Seoul, or hat-tricks on the soccer field, HIV/AIDS is a serious issue that effects us all. And since no one is exempt, no one should be barred from entering any particular place to ply their trade because of it. Someday, nearly everyone in the world will have a friend or loved one with the virus. In the best of all possible worlds, this would be the only measure to prevent the spread of HIV: teach all to understand exactly how the virus spreads and how to prevent that. To paraphrase a Socrates scholar I read recently, let's not suffer the separation caused by dogma and ignorance; let's move in the direction of unity through understanding and friendship. If South Korea truly intends to be "the Champions” it clearly must lift the ban on all foreigners with HIV/AIDS.
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