The first draft for the revision of the Anti-Prostitution Act has been drawn up.The Korea Institute for Women's Development held a public hearing on July 5 and changed the name of the proposed law to 'Laws on the Prevention of Prostitution and Its Mediation.' A newly introduced clause ma

Several events, organized by the Ministry of Gender Equality and related government agencies, local governments and women groups are lined up for the 6th Women's Week, which lasts from 1 to 7 July. The Ministry of Gender Equality revealed its plans to "make Women's Week a national event with

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

The Korean government and ruling party opened the "Joint Conference of the Ministries of National Defense and Gender Equality" on May 31, and decided to reverse the previous military reform policy to close down the Military Nurse Officers Academy next year.The Democratic Party spokesperson explained

The Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center, the first of its kind in Korea, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Cho Jung Shin, Secretary-General of the Center, recalls, "When the Center opened its doors in April 1991, it was flooded with calls regarding cases as recent as 2 months ago to mor

A recent drama based on the true story of popular Korean singer L's encounter with a stalker was recently aired on TV, once again calling attention to the social issue of 'stalking.' The word 'stalking' (the act of tailing and harassing someone you are interested in) was coined o

Mr. Lee Sang Ho and Miss Lee Ji Yong, set to tie the knot on June 23, are the first couple in Korea to sign a property contract upon marriage.The 'property contract between married couples' is an institutional mechanism governing the property ownership of married couples. It is defined in Ar

On April 17, 410 students and ten presidents of universities such as Seoul National, Yonsei, Korea and Ehwa Women’s universities submitted a petition to the National Assembly, calling for “gender equality in admitting officers to the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC).” The petitioners pointed o

The number of families of migrant workers and North Korean defectors are on the rise. But due to legal restrictions and social prejudice, these people are living as aliens, deprived of the basic rights that families are entitled to. On the occasion of Family Month, The Women’s News takes a closer lo

Women groups are vigorously criticizing the ruling party’s decision to postpone revision of maternity protection laws for another two years. The Citizens’ Alliance for the Revision of Women Labor Laws, made up of 8 civic groups, released a statement on April 25 saying, “Postponing the enactment of m

Last year's resident-led campaign to check the indiscriminate establishment of love hotels (nickname of motels that are hotbeds of illicit affairs) and pubs drew considerable social attention. The campaign resulted in the resignation of the local mayor in question and the introduction of the sys

The North branch of the Seoul District Court (presided by Yang Seung Tae) decided on March 29 to take the case of Ms. Bae and four others to the Constitutional Court. The five women had applied to the Gu office to remove the title of hoju - formerly held by their ex-husbands - from their respective

On the 23th last month, the Suwon local court ruled against five women from Lee family originated in Yong-in who claimed the right to the ownership of the property belonging to Lee clan in a lawsuit against the clan authorities. The judge said, the clan rules stipulate that all adults are entitled t

A series of lawsuits filed against the Japanese government by elderly Korean 'comfort women', a term referring to those who were forced to provide sex for Japanese soldiers during the World War II, have recently been lost, thus drawing severe criticism from the victims and related civic orga

Early last year, there were discussions over granting extra points in government exams for man who have finished their military service. Surrounding those discussions, many Korean men expressed their strong feelings that they are at an disadvantage against women. As the discontent over the manadate

There was a different Mar. 8 rally happening in Myongdong on World Women's Day. 'Disabled woman have workers' rights!' 'No more forced heterosexuality!' 'Do something about unemployed woman college graduates!' ... These were some of the slogans heard at the rally, a g

A group of traditional right-wing authors of Japanese history textbooks (led by Kanji Nishio) has produced a history textbook which waters down Japan's wartime atrocities under the pretext of boosting national pride. This move has influenced the collective fate of the other seven history textboo

Koreans sometimes liken raising children to pouring water into a bottomless pot. So does it pay to raise children? The Haja Center (a youth center that gives youngsters hands-on experience) tried to answer that through its first Digital Storytelling Festival, where a contest was held with the very u

After Mar. 8 ushered in the 93rd 'World Women's Day,' and in Korea, it was a culmination of a variety of events organized by women groups that began on Feb. 26. The Korea Women's Association United (KWAU) held the 17th Korea Women's Day Rally on Mar. 4, where participants renewed

In recent years, an increasing number of women are coming to Korea from foreign lands such as the Philippines, Russia, and China to wed Korean men. Importing brides became a common solution for men living in rural communities who had problems finding spouses at home. But this system of mail-order br