Mosque Construction Project In Daegu Suspended, South Korea's National Human Rights Commission: Irrational And Must Continue

Seoul Central Mosque, South Korea. (Wikimedia Commons/Brandon Butler)

JAKARTA - The Korean National Human Rights Commission (NHRCK) said on Friday the mosque construction project in Daegu, which had been suspended due to complaints, should be allowed to proceed, as the suspension decision was based on discrimination and prejudice against Muslims.

The human rights watchdog expressed its opinion in response to a petition filed by the Darul Emman Kyungpook Islamic Center against the Buk District Office which had issued an administrative order to stop the construction of the mosque.

The Islamic Community in Daegu's Buk District, the country's third largest city, located in the southeastern region of Ginseng Country, launched the construction of a place of worship in Daehyeon-dong in December 2020, after receiving a construction permit from the local government in September. The mosque will be built on the site where Muslims previously held religious gatherings.

However, some residents, who feared the mosque would lead to a greater Muslim presence in the neighborhood, vehemently opposed the construction.

Residents and other political activists have staged several rallies in front of the construction site, hanging banners in protest. They petitioned the district office asking for an administrative order to stop construction.

The district office ordered the site owner to stop construction on February 16, 2010. Since then, the project has been postponed indefinitely.

South Korea's National Human Rights Commission said the decision was based on discrimination and prejudice against Muslims, and recommended that local governments take the necessary steps to allow development to continue.

"The administrative order for the suspension is irrational, because it was carried out unilaterally on complaints from citizens stemming from prejudice against the Islamic religion," the commission said in a press release, citing the Korea Times Oct. 1.

Local residents who oppose the construction of the mosque have complained about the noise and smell emanating from the construction site, as well as concerns over the spread of the coronavirus, fears the surrounding area will turn into a 'slum', to fears of terrorist attacks by radical Muslims.

The NHRCK stated that such an excuse was invalid, because it did not have a clear basis and was based more on prejudice against Muslims.

In addition, the supervisor told the local district office to take additional action, particularly regarding the banners that have been displayed in the area, as they include hate speech and offensive Islamophobic comments.

Several banners hung in the neighborhood contained slogans that read: "Is the Taliban in Daehyeon-dong? Is this your country? Stop threatening our population!" and "Muslims who brutally kill people and behead them, get out of this area now! Terrorists! Right now!" and "Islam is an evil religion that kills people."

The NHRCK said the hateful expression of this hate speech was more than just a protest against the construction of a mosque, as it was clearly based on unfair prejudice beliefs.

Although the local district office said it was in the process of removing illegally posted banners, the human rights commission stressed that the government and local governments should be active in removing published materials containing expressions that violate human rights, in order to fulfill the legislative objectives of the Outdoor Advertising Act. .