'Sexist' guidebook for jobseekers withdrawn

The Seoul city government has withdrawn its guidebook for jobseekers after receiving hundreds of complaints. Korea Times file

By Dong Sun-hwa

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has stopped the publication of its “sexist” jobseeker guidebook after receiving hundreds of complaints.

The guidebook, which is published by the city government as part of its program supporting jobseekers, contains content that many found “inappropriate” and even “degrading for women.”

The book advises women to put on makeup and avoid wearing short skirts in the workplace, while it gives little advice about men's appearances.

The publication included checklists with questions for women that many found objectionable. “Are you on the way to work without wearing any makeup?” and “Is your lipstick color appropriate as an employee?” are among the questions that drew complaints.

The “New Deal Job” program was launched in 2013 to provide financial support and education for jobseekers but the controversial publication was just recently added to the course.

A city government official said the book was created by a partner company. He promised that the Seoul city government would pay more attention when selecting its next partner and vowed to verify the quality of content in advance of publication.