UN Chief Asks Seoul to Drop HIV Test for Foreign Teachers

Korean officials say they have been asked by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to discontinue the practice of testing foreign teachers for the AIDS virus.

Officials in the prime minister's office confirmed Tuesday that Ban made the request when he visited Seoul last week ahead of a G20 economic summit.

Korea, China and the United States all acted earlier this year to lift a ban on visitors carrying HIV. But Korea continues to test foreign teachers, most of whom are native English speakers teaching language classes. Those who test positive can lose their jobs and be forced to leave the country.

Foreign teachers say the practice is discriminatory and contributes to their being stigmatized as drug abusers and sexually promiscuous.

Some information in this story was provided by AP.