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First meeting of Special Task Force for the Abolishment of the
Hoju System on May 16
The Special Task Force for the Abolishment of the Hoju System
(Task Force) headed by the Vice-Minister of Gender Equality
held its first general meeting and division meetings on May
16 at the Central Government Complex in Sejong-no. This signals
the official launching of the Special Task Force made up of
members from the Justice Ministry, Gender Equality Ministry,
Korea Information Service and women groups that Minister of
Gender Equality Ji Eun-hee reported at the National Affairs
Meeting on May 6.
The Task Force meeting dealt with in detail issues such as
the timing of legislation, the modus operandi of the Task
Force, and whether to revise the Family Register Act along
with the abolishment of the Hoju system.
During the meeting, the officer from the Justice Ministry,
which had so far shown a lukewarm attitude towards the abolishment
of the Hoju system, revealed, "The Justice Ministry has
been planning all along to revise any gender-discriminatory
laws. But we will place top priority on the bill to revise
the Hoju system in the nearest possible future." The
officer's remarks have increased the chances for the Hoju
system to be abolished within the year. Particularly encouraging
is the fact that the Justice Ministry has promised to review
all recommendations, including the elimination of the clause
enforcing patrilineal bloodlines, something that the Justice
Ministry had opposed in the past.
Officials from the Ministry of Legislation explained the
practical issues that need to be taken into consideration
in scheduling the task force's work, saying, "Even if
the Justice Ministry comes up with the revision bill, it takes
at least 45 days for the bill to be submitted to the National
Assembly and discussed at the Ministry of Legislation and
relevant Ministerial and Vice-Ministerial meetings. According
to the revised National Assembly Act, the regular National
Assembly session in September will only deal with budget reviews,
meaning it would be physically near impossible for the Hoju
system bill to be passed at the extraordinary session in June."
That is why the task force foresees that December will be
the most realistic deadline.
Also discussed at the Task Force meeting was the timing for
the revision of the Civil Code to reflect the abolishment
of the Hoju system and the revision of the Family Register
Act to contain the reformed family registration system. The
strategy so far has been to separate the two: getting the
Civil Code revision bill passed first and then following up
with an alternative family registration system. At the Task
Force meeting, however, government officials suggested that
public consensus allowing, it would be possible to carry out
both agendas as the same time, implying that the abolishment
of the Hoju system and the revision of the Family Register
Act could be accomplished earlier than expected.
The composition and operation of the Task Force was also
up for discussion. The Task Force is made up of the Overall
Planning, Legislation, Public Relations and Citizen Participation
Divisions, and members from the women and civic groups are
all placed in the Citizen Participation Division. Secretary-General
Nam Yoon In-sun of the Korea Women's Association United reported,
"During the Citizen Participation division meeting held
after the general meeting, we agreed that civic groups belonging
to the Citizen Participation division should be allowed to
take part in the working-level meetings of the other divisions.
We made a proposal along these lines to the Ministry of Gender
Equality." If the opinion of civic groups are to be reflected
in the actual process of abolishing the Hoju system, they
have to be allowed to participate in the working-level meetings
of the other divisions.
The Task Force plans to hold bimonthly general and division
meetings, with more frequent division meetings depending on
the agenda at hand.
<reported by Kim Sun-hee sonagi@womennews.co.kr>
Reference: What is the Hoju system? (refer
also to the terminology list on our website)
When a child is born, he or she takes on the surname and family
origin of the father (Civil Code Article 781), and upon marriage,
the daughter is no longer considered a family member as her
name is entered into her husband's family registrar (Civil
Code Article 826.3). And when a wife wishes to register her
child who is not related by blood to the patrilineal side
of the family, she must have the permission of the child's
Hoju (family head) and biological father (Civil Code Article
784). In contrast, a man can always register his child born
out of wedlock on the family registrar (Civil Code Article
782), favoring father's rights over the mother's. Even if
a divorced woman holds parental and custody rights to her
children, the children continue to remain in her ex-husband's
family registrar, and her relationship with her children is
merely defined as "residing together" under the
resident registration.
More and more women are getting divorced or re-marrying these
days, but the current Hoju system does not allow such women
to transfer their children's registration from their ex-husbands'
to their own or their current husbands'. They are prevented
from doing so by the invisible hand of the patrilineal Hoju
system and Family Register Act. The Hoju system has been supported
and reinforced by the family registrar system, which has been
the official documentation of every citizen's social status.
These two mutually-supplementary systems have formed an invisible
net over the entire society, keeping it vertical, authoritarian
and male-centered.
The Hoju system, which makes one person the head (Hoju) of
the family unit and vests in him certain rights and duties,
is a symbol of a vertical power structure where the Hoju dominates
and leads the family members under him. As the Hoju title
is passed on to the eldest male in the next generation, it
also strongly implies male chauvinism and contempt against
women. Therefore, the unrealistic structure of the system
and the extent of the Hoju's rights aside, the system is in
itself an embodiment of a vertical and male-chauvinistic mentality
that regards women as second-class citizens. It runs counter
to the dignity and right to equality of each individual guaranteed
in the Constitution.
-extract from "Reasons for the Abolishment of the Hoju
System," 499th edition of The Women's News, written
by Lee Hwa-sook (Professor of Law, Kyungwon University)
- Women's Marathon a huge success with more than 6,000
participants
'Run, Women, Run! Blossom, Peace, Blossom!'
The early summer air in Sangambeol, Seoul, was embroidered
bright pink by the legs of healthy, peace-loving women, families,
lovers and children. The third Women's Marathon organized
by The Women's News on May 11 at the Seoul Sangam World
Cup Stadium South Gate Plaza and Park was a huge success,
with more than 6,000 participants including the runners, their
families, cheering citizens and guests.
The event was divided into the 15-km (women) and 5-km (women
and mixed) marathon courses and the 3-km walkathon, and about
5,000 people took part in the three courses, amidst the cheers
of 1,000 family members and guests.
 The
event is an upgraded version of the first and second 'Azumma
Marathon,' which was more women-oriented. This year, the marathon
has been named 'Women's Peace Marathon,' expressing the participants'
desire for peace on the Korean peninsula and in the world.
Accordingly, many of the women groups that had led the anti-war
peace campaign during the US aggression against Iraq sent
their teams to take part in the marathon.
Some of the women groups that took part in the marathon waving
'peace' flags are Women Making Peace, the Korea Women's Association
United and the Bodyguards HQ for Women Politicians. Other
organizations that sent large delegations are political parties
such as the Women's Committee of the Grand National Party,
the Women's Bureau of the New Millennium Democratic Party
(NMDP) and the National Women's Council of the People's Party
for Reform, as well as unions and associations including the
Bank of Korea workers' union, Seoul City Council of Housewives
and the Korea Nurses Association.
The participants that drew the most attention at the event
were the 11 Peace Boys. Charged with the mission of delivering
the message of peace, the Peace Boys took part with colorful
balloons symbolizing peace attached to their backs, grabbing
the attention of runners and spectators alike.
Eight of the Peace Boys including lawyer Kang Ji-won, psychiatrist
Kim Byung-hu, singer Yoo Yeol and Gangwon-do governor Kim
Jin-seon completed the course. National Assemblyman Bae Gi-seon
(Wonmi A Constituency, Bucheon) of the NMDP spontaneously
registered as a Peace Boy and took part in the 3-km walkathon,
complete with colored balloons on his back. Choi Young-hee
(proportional representative, NMDP) appointed herself a Peace
Girl to the cheers of approval from the participants.
- Kim Se-ok, Head of Women's Committee, Korean Federation
of Transportation, Public and Social Service Workers' Union
 "Labor
unions where women-related projects are still in the sidelines
have yet to break away from the patriarchal system."
Words of Kim Se-ok, Head of Women's Committee, Korean Federation
of Transportation, Public and Social Service Workers' Union.
The 44-year-old labor activist says that having a career while
bringing up three children is easy compared to facilitating
women-related projects within the labor organization. This
is her criticism of the "obsolete culture in labor unions."
"Whenever I bring up women's issues, colleagues push
them into the back burner, saying, 'Now is not the time! We
have so many other pressing problems.' In the past, it used
to be 'Serve tea,' and now it's 'Would you mind making some
tea?' If I take issue with it, they say 'But women make better
tea,' blurring the gender issue. Another custom that belongs
in the past."
Kim complains, "The big projects are dominated by men,
and a few token women thrown in. Furthermore, there are so
few women committee members, making it impossible to push
for women-related policies." She goes on to point out,
"Few women are appointed to committee member positions,
because votes are cast according to 'gender considerations,'
not based on capabilities and conscientiousness. There wouldn't
be a single woman on the committee if not for the quota system,
and that is why the male-oriented culture continues to exist."
Kim says that if the women's quota is to lead to more women
executives in labor organizations rather than remaining a
token gesture, unions must nurture more women labor activists.
Women who want to retain their identity in a male-dominated
world must make more sacrifices, but the unsupportive environment
and lack of women executives make lasting women-related projects
impossible.
The Korea Confederation of Trade Unions' (KCTU) goal of setting
a 30% women's quota in its Representative and Central Committees
by 2005 seems to be an answer to Kim's prayers. Just thinking
about it puts a smile on her lips, and her present burden
becomes easier to bear when she recalls the slogan '120 women
representatives in KCTU by next year.' And why not? Kim may
be the Head of the Women's Committee, but the dearth of women
labor activists to work with forces her to play multiple roles,
from planning to organization and execution.
Kim started out as a labor unionist at Korea Telecom but
was dismissed in 1995, after which she joined the labor movement
as a labor activists and women's rights activist. She is an
'iron lady' who brought up her three children without outside
help. She is now facing up to the even more daunting challenge
of changing the male-oriented culture of labor unions. And
there is only one way to do this - "Move from the sidelines
to center-stage!"
<reported by Na Shin Ah-Ryeung arshin@womennews.co.kr>
(The Women's News http://www.womennews.co.kr)
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