Ever since the government announced the introduction of the five-day week within this year, there has been a heated debate between workers and the management over related issues such as reduction of monthly and yearly leaves, the existence of monthly leaves for women, the premium for overtime work,

The Anti-Japanese Movement that occurred in Gujwa village of North Jeju Island in 1932 is the largest-ever fishers' struggle led by women, and is presumed to be have taken on the biggest scale among all the resistance movements of the 1930s. But these facts have remained buried for the past 50 y

"When I was in U-do, I trained for two weeks wearing only my underwear and a headband. I didn't really know back then what I was doing."Go E-Hwa is the 87-year-old Haenyeo (women who dive into the sea to gather food) from North Jeju Island who received the first Jeju Haenyeo Award, created by th

I need to earn a living, so if they give me money, I sell my body, even if I don't want to. (D, aged 16) When my friend and I get paid for sleeping with men, there are so many things we want to buy that the money just seems to vanish. We have never received pocket money before. (J, aged 13) Afte

On July 12, the US State Department submitted a report on human trafficking to the Congress, and in it, Korea was given the third grade (the lowest grade). The report was written based on the opinions given by 82 American embassies and consulates, NGOs, public officials, police, journalists and vict

The bill for maternity protection (a revision of the Labor Standard Act, Equal Employment Act and the Employment Insurance Act) was passed on July 18 at the plenary session of the National Assembly. Accordingly, the new maternity protection laws will apply to all women workers who give birth after N

A heated debate has erupted over the importing of emergency contraceptives, birth control pills that can prevent pregnancy if taken within 72 hours after intercourse. The debate was sparked off by the application that French pharmaceutical firm HRA Pharma' submitted in May to the Korea Food and

Lee Jeong Hyang and Lim Soon Rye are two women film directors whose well-rounded works are gaining ground in a film industry where the rules of the game are still tipped against women. Lee, who started out from the bottom in 1988, worked her way up through Chungmu-ro (Korea's version of Hollywoo

'Ill-fated woman genius' Na Hye Seok. She was the first-ever woman western painter and feminist in Korea, but was not allowed to spread her wings fully during her time. Na has returned to us together with the artists who came after her.The channel of her return is 'Exhibition WOMAN - a c

How to gather the power of Korean women all over the world to elevate women's status?That was the topic that gathered more than 100 Korean women from 23 countries including the US, Germany, Australia, Russia and Egypt. The Global Korean Women's Network Rally, held in Seoul from July 2 to 4 o

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

Maternity Protection Laws (bill for the revision of the Labor Standard Act, Equal Employment Act and Employment Insurance Act) - the one-year-old top agenda of women workers' groups - were finally passed in the National Assembly on June 26, and are now waiting to take effect.Through the resoluti

Four witches have banded together to throw a riotous party of talk and song. The racket, entitled (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,

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

Youth and women groups are grappling with the challenge of finding fundamental solutions to the prostitution of under-aged people.On 5 June, the Juvenile Delinquency Department of the Seoul Prosecutor's Office (Chief Shin Man Seong) submitted a recommendation to the Ministry of Justice calling f

Voices condemning Japan's distortion of history in its textbooks rang out simultaneously on June 12 from 51 countries and 125 cities in Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania and America.The international campaign to correct Japanese history textbooks is made up of 114 civic groups including the Korean F

Women groups are out to gain financial independence.The forerunner is KWAU, which held a launching ceremony on June 20 for a sponsors' association headed by KWAU advisor Lee-Lee Hyo Jae, lawyer Lee Se Joong and singer PattiKim. The presidents, together with 30-odd committee members, will be enli

"The problem that enthralls me is the cultural crisis and intellectual roots of our times. I do not distinguish ideal from reality in my mind, and cannot separate the political reality from the artistic spirit. Life and ideas are two sides of the same coin. 'Reality' is the lens I use to sea

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