Discussions on the Gwangju uprising have focused on the resistance of the citizens which eventually drove out the martial troops, while missing a look into the roles women played throughout the whole process of the resistance. It is true, however, that a direct struggle against the government troops

Korea's first woman Prime Minister breaks glass ceiling in the political communityRep. HAN Myeong-Sook, 61, a second-term member of the National Assembly and of the Uri Party, was appointed Prime Minister in April, 2006. Han was the first Korean woman to hold the position in the nation's constitutio

The government has decided to create 587,000 new jobs for women by 2010. A project called 'Dynamic Women of Korea 2010' is the largest in scale, which is solely devoted to providing women with new employment. It is the first joint project to be carried out by 14 government agencies including the Min

An attempt to develop gender equality language is moving into high gear. As a part of 'A Language Development Project for Gender Equality,' the Korean Women's Development Institute (KWDI), and Korean Womenlink plan to change gender discriminatory expressions in government publications, help alert or

I have the pleasure of welcoming all of you who have come a long way from home and abroad to visit the City of Light, Gwangju, for the 2007 World Women's Peace Forum Gwangju(WWPFG). The Women's News feels greatly honored and privileged to have this opportunity to sponsor the Forum, and I look forwar

From the late 1990s during the Kim Dae-jung administration there has been a significant increase in women from professional groups and women's organizations entering government and politics. Then, for the first time, the 17th general election in 2004 lifted the percentage of female lawmakers to

Dear global sisters,I cordially welcome you to the 9th International Interdisciplinary Congress on Women(IICW). I hope we will all share our new visions for women across the world, consolidate our global sisterhood, “Embrace the Earth” and generate long-lasting returns from this congress.Korean wome

Taking effect nine months ago, the sex trade prevention act has heightened Korea's international image as an advanced human rights country. The act is viewed as embodiment of women's movement over the last four years to drive out sex trade. Sparked off by a fire in a brothel in Daemyung-dong

The National Assembly passed a revision bill of the civil law focusing on the abolition of the ‘Hoju’ System, or the Family Registry System, at a plenary session on March 2. The bill was supported by 235 of 296 lawmakers on the register, with 58 opposing and 16 abstaining. Accordingly, the tradition

Bills for women's affairs that were passed by extraordinary sessions of the National Assembly in April mean a lot in terms of women's rights and interests. The Basic Act on Fertility and Aged Society, among others, is geared to cope with the world's lowest fertility rate of 1.19, and rap

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

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

"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

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

There is a fierce controversy over the transfer of childcare administrative duties from the Ministry of Health and Welfare to the Ministry of Gender Equality.The emerging opinion is that childcare should no longer be focused on welfare alone, that is, on "care for infants and toddlers whose guardian

As the stir created by the suicide of Bosung Elementary School principal continues to spread, parts of the media have launched a "witch-hunt" aimed at the National Teachers' Union (NTU) and the schoolteacher involved. This has prompted a call on the media to put a stop to irresponsible and judgm

Student activists, wanted by the police for being members of the national student organization Hanchongnyeon, have been separated from their families for many years, living in university campuses 24 hours a day in order to avoid arrests. They call themselves "walking hospital cases," suffering all s

A homosexual has filed for property division and alimony following the end of her de facto marriage. As the first of its kind in Korea, the case is drawing public interest regarding its outcome.On March 17, Kim (aged 46) filed a lawsuit at the Seoul High Court against K (aged 47), whom she had been