Photograph by Min Won-ki   minwk@womennews.co.kr

Chairperson Kim Seong Ee of the Youth Protection Committee immediately vocalized the Committee's objections to the recommendation, asking, "What kind of solution brands youths as prostitutes?" And even the prosecutors are reported to have "conflicting opinions," with some of them saying that "youths who sell sexual favors should be regarded as victims of our society's distorted sex culture."

On 8 June, 10 youth and women groups including WMCA Seoul and Women's Hotline issued a statement, claiming that "instead of plant a sense of guilt in youths, legal punishment will only give rise to more adults who misuse the law to blackmail and abuse youths." The statement also points out that "legalizing punishment of youths leaves the possibility of human rights abuse and neglect wide open."

The Sex Culture Committee under the Youth Protection Committee submitted a counter-report opposing criminal punishment of youths involved in prostitution. It also has made plans to join hands with the local community, schools and parents in resolving the problem of youth prostitution through ¡a education on prevention of prostitution ¡a therapy programs for victims ¡a rehabilitation programs for repeat offenders ¡a training of teachers to counsel youths involved in prostitution.

   reported by Cho Lee Yeu-wool , cognate@womennews.co.kr　  

The Asian Christian Women's Institute for Culture and Theology(headed by Choi Man Ja) held a seminar entitled "Obedience an Accessory for Church Women?" on 21 June in Seongga Convent. The purpose of the seminar was to search for ways to reform the church women's culture.

Director Choi Man Ja says, "Women can become pastors now, and institutional discrimination has been resolved to a certain extent, but the internalization of obedience in church women is still a problem." Choi also points out that "to create more realistic role and status for women in the Church, we have to criticize and reform the gender discriminatory aspects of Church culture."

Researcher Jang Sook Gyeong who gave a presentation entitled 'How is obedience internalized in church women?' described in detail the reality faced by church women. This reality is characterized by the relationship of command-and-obey between pastor and church member, between men and women, the demand for material proof of obedience, the enforcement of obedience through the black-or-white notion of blessing and punishment, and sexual violence against church women perpetrated by pastors.

Professor Kim Hyun Mi (Sociology, Yonsei University) attempted to analyze obedience from a feminist-sociologist point of view. She explains, "Deep-rooted myths such as 'Women are unclean' and 'Sons are best and they should be pampered' emphasize the inferiority of women and relegate them to the job of accommodating men's needs and whims." According to Prof. Kim's analysis, such cultural mechanisms take effect within the religious framework, making church women willingly obey their male pastors.

Researcher Kim Jin Ho of the Institute of the Third Generation Christ said, "Rather than using force to oppress the women, the mechanism of voluntary obedience is cunningly combined with the rhetoric of sin and salvation to enslave women in the mechanism of power."

Cambridge professor Kang Nam Soon made use of feminist theology in observing the way Christian values are infused to patriarchal ideology. Prof. Kang pointed out that "absolute obedience to the Will of God, which is the true meaning of Christian obedience, has been distorted to mean blind obedience and uncritical thinking regarding the power of men within the Church."

Prof. Kang also added that "ultimately, obedience is regarded as an essential element to becoming 'a good woman and a good Christian,' thereby degenerating into a patriarchal ideology in which women voluntarily participate in continuously reproducing the patriarchal system within the Church." The professor's recommendation: "Let's overcome the confrontational relationship between men and women under the patriarchal system and explore the possibilities of a partnership in creating a new hegemony of resistance."

    reported by Choi Lee Boo-ja, bjchoi@womennews.co.kr     

The Ministry of Health and Welfare is supporting civic groups' events related to women's health, and the Cultural Properties Administration will open the four ancient palaces - Gyeongbok, Deoksu and Changgyeong Palaces and Jongmyo Royal Shrine - free of charge to women visitors and their families on 1 July.

Seoul City is organizing a fashion show for women with disabilities and a performance based on the theme of disabled women at 7 p.m., 4 July, at the fountain square in front of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. The City is also setting up a free speech podium entitled 'Seoul Women's Proposal' at 2 p.m., 3 July, Sejong's Convention Center, as well as a photograph exhibition on gender equality.

Jeju-do Provincial Administration will hold a Jeju Women's Rally on 1 July at the Jeju Local Civil Servants' Training Center. Awards will be given out at the rally for Egalitarian Couples, Best Woman, Major Contributor to women's development and so on. Jeju Education Museum will host a women's film festival from 7 to 8 July, screening 10 films by women directors. And on 8 July, a couple relay marathon will be held in the Leisure-Sports Park along Jeju Island's coastal road.

   reported by Lee Kim Jung-hee  jhlee@womennews.co.kr        　

Four witches have banded together to throw a riotous party of talk and song. The racket, entitled <Chatterbox Concert> (planned by Women Culture and Arts), features four women - Oh Sook Hee, Ahn Hye Kyong, Oh Eun Sook and Chi Hyun - who will be exploring the problems faced by women through chatter, songs and dances.

The leading chatterbox is Oh Sook Hee, author of <Let's Talk It Out> and someone who has realized early on the 'therapeutic power' of chatting. Actress Oh Eun Sook will unleash her dancing, singing and acting talents, while singers Ahn Hye Kyong and Chi Hyun will treat the audience to their powerful and exuberant music.

The actress and two singers singing <An Old Future> and <Chilli Pepper Fields> open the variety show, which includes mono-dramas <The Female Anatomy> and <Vagina Monologue>, songs <I Need Work> and <That Woman Dongkyu>, and a musical entitled <Rice Cooker? Cool Rapper!>

In celebration of Women's Week, the first show will be staged on 4 July in the Women Center in Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do. This will be followed by another show in Ansan on 20 July. And then until November, the four witches will go wherever women groups, universities, trade unions or community centers beckon to throw their smash parties.

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      reported by Ji Eun-ju,  ippen@womennews.co.kr