The Democratization of South Korea from a Gender Perspective

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  • ジェンダーの視点から見た韓国民主化
  • ジェンダー ノ シテン カラ ミタ カンコク ミンシュカ

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Abstract

This paper assesses the role of women and gender in the democratization of South Korea from the 1970s to the present . Beginning with the contributions of the women's labor movement to the 1979 collapse of the Park Chung-hee dictatorship, a women's movement led by intellectuals flourished in the 1980s, enriching the democratization movement. In 1987, the Korean Women's Association United was created in the same year as the Declaration of Democratization, and the enactment of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act. Democracy continued to develop throughout the 1990s, while the movement to abolish sex discrimination was encouraged by the World Conference on Women held in Beijing.<BR>The implementation of direct presidential elections under the democratic constitution adopted in 1987, allowed women to pressure presidential candidates to support policies for women. As a result, the Framework Act on Women's Development was approved during the Kim Young-sam regime (1993-1997), and the Ministry of Gender Equality was established during the Kim Dae-jung regime (1998-2003). The first and second Secretaries General were selected from the pool of female activists. Introduction of the quota system for women in elections in 2000 increased female representatives from 5.9% in 2000 to 15.7% in 2012. The quota system also contributed to a dramatic increase in female public servants.<BR>Moving ahead of Japan, South Korea substantially revised its family law, including the 2005 abolition of the head of family system. Yet the system for gender equality is still incomplete, and problems persist. As a result of economic restructuring, a wealth gap and precarious employment have increased and intensified economic disparity among women. At the same time, the on-going division of North and South Korea makes military preparedness a necessity, and the dominant role men play in the military plays a role in blocking full gender equality.

Journal

  • jenda shigaku

    jenda shigaku 9 (0), 5-22, 2013

    The Gender History Association of Japan

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