Over 3,000 scholars of women's studies, women's movement activists and women's policy experts get together in Seoul on June 19. The 9th International Interdisciplinary Congress on Women, or Women's Worlds 2005(WW05), organized by the Korean Association of Womens Studies(KAWS) and Ewh
A celebration was called for when the Constitutional Court decided on June 26 that the system of disclosing the identities of criminals involved in youth prostitution was not against the Constitution. On July 15, the Committee for the Protection of Youths held a meeting in the international conferen
This summer, together with other class graduates, I formed a team to pay a two-day visit to our juniors, who were helping out in the farms in Bongwha County of Gyeongbuk Province as part of the universities' rural community service program.A slogan that I had not seen in my days caught my eye. I
"It's a shock to realize it happens in the army""What's new? It was just hushed up till now."Typical responses to the series of recently publicized cases of sexual violence in the army. Some citizens are shocked by the incidence of sexual violence in an environment ruled by iron discipline,
The system of suspending indictment of those guilty of domestic violence on the condition of counseling has gained public attention as it has proven to be more effective than punishment in preventing domestic violence. This 'suspension of indictment conditional on counseling' system sends th
In the preface of the 25th issue of Figures and Ideologies published in January, Kang Jun-man wrote that the biggest responsibility of the Roh administration is political reform, which is the call of the times. He is absolutely right, since the political climate in Korea is far from stable.Intellect
"We agreed to use the compensation money we received in a meaningful way."On July 27, the victims of the Lotte Hotel sexual harassment case donated 10 million Won from the compensation they received from the hotel to the Research Institute for the Rights of the Disabled.Wu Myung-sim, member of the c
An increasing number of newly-weds are of the same age or younger-husband-older-wife couples. Couples where the husbands are older have been steadily decreasing, recording 74.1% of first marriages in 2002 compared to 82.2% in 1990. On the other hand, same-aged couples increased 5.2 percentage points
Justice Minister Kang Kum-sil has promised to take the lead in resolving women's issues such as abolishing the hoju system and legislating the Anti-Prostitution Act, drawing attention to the outcome of her promised efforts. Minister Kang said that a Family Act Revision Committee with participati
The courts sided feminist artists in the legal battle between the artists and the Jeonju Yi clan regarding the avant-garde cultural event in Jongmyo Park. (translator's note: Jongmyo Park houses the ancestral shrines of the royal Yi family of the Chosun dynasty) Known as the 'Abang Palace
The Queer Culture Festival Rainbow 2003 (executive organizing committee chaired by Hong Ki-hoon, sys-op of Hitel's online community for gay rights 'Another Love') will be held from June 21 to 29 along the streets of Jong-no with the assertive catchphrase "Move!" This will be the fourth t
Kim Kyeong-im, the second woman ambassador in the history of Korea's foreign diplomacy, has been appointed as Korea's ambassador to the Republic of Tunisia. She sets off for the country on June 17. Her appointment is all the more meaningful as she is the first woman to be representing Korea
'Long-awaited rain falls on the flying dust of Korean politics.'Women have launched an alliance in preparation for next year's general election. Their search for hidden talent is also in full swing. Watch out for the women's 'resistance' that will splash into the 2004 General
Nationalism, globalization, peace and women. These are the four issues that professor Chung Hyun-baek weaved together into one book entitled The Nation and Feminism(published by Dangdae). The Women's News interviewed her in her office. She is one busy woman these days, working as a co-representa
The KWAU Hoju Abolishment Campaign HQ has started a declaration relay for the abolishment of the hoju system. The relay began with the 'Declaration for Hoju Abolishment by the Legal Circle' on May 28, and will move on to a similar declaration by the arts circle, and further on to a declarati
9:50 in the morning of May 27, in room 601, the Department of Bill Registration of the National Assembly. It was something she did on a regular basis, but this time, New Millennium Democratic Party (NMDP) member Lee Mi-kyung's hand shook a little as she handed in the revision bill. Fellow legisl
A press conference was held by women groups to call for a revision of the Government Organization Act facilitating the transfer of childcare administration to the Ministry of Gender Equality.All the women groups in Korea, including the Korea Women's Association United (6 branches, 27 member grou
"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 hav
'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 Cu
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