South Korea’s Human Rights Watchdog Rules Firefighter’s Job Exclusion Was Gender Discrimination

A scene of fire truck drill (Yonhap) SEOUL, Dec. 23 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has determined that excluding a female firefighter from driving a large vehicle due to her gender constitutes discrimination. The decision follows a complaint filed by the firefighter, identified as Ms.

A, who works at a fire station in Incheon. Ms. A alleged that in April 2023, during an operation to assist with a wildfire in Hongseong, she was denied the opportunity to drive a chemical fire truck.



Her supervisor reportedly justified the decision by claiming that “long-distance driving is dangerous for women.” While the supervisor acknowledged excluding Ms. A from the task, he claimed it was intended as a gesture of consideration for her well-being.

The NHRC rejected this defense, emphasizing that Ms. A holds a license to operate large vehicles and had undergone specialized training. The investigation also revealed the supervisor’s consistent negative perception of women’s driving capabilities.

The commission concluded that the decision to exclude her was rooted in gender bias and constituted workplace discrimination. The NHRC further noted that “assigning women away from certain tasks under the guise of protection or care reflects an underlying gender bias.” In response, the NHRC has recommended that the head of the fire department implement measures to prevent future gender discrimination, including gender equality training for senior personnel.

M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.

com).