By Bernard Rowan
I found Cho Hee-kyoung's recent piece in The Korea Times ("Meaning of 'small government'" in July 26 edition), about the plans of several presidential contenders and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, disturbing. It's not laughable to read how candidates for South Korea's presidency want to get rid of it. I don't believe the pursuit of "small government" points to ending this ministry.
It's amateurish to zero- n on this ministry. There are 18 in South Korea's government, and many of them have larger budgets. I'm sure there's some waste, inefficiency, and sub-optimal spending in any government ministry. I've read nothing to prove the leading one is the gender and family ministry. These pretenders' motivations are transparent.
It's sad but true that certain kinds of conservatives and reactionaries play games with gender politics under the guise of valuing efficiency in government. Korea's unenviable track record on issues of gender and family is egg on the national faces. It's pathetic.
Many young people depend on initiatives that strengthen the future of Korea's families and contribute to the livelihoods of Korean women. I've followed the qualified and limited progress of Korean society on gender and "ajumma" for 20 years. Women have too few and inadequate support channels as mothers, wives and workers. Women are the last hired and first fired. They're underpaid and underrepresented. Their needs aren't respected adequately by any recent administration's policies, including those of the current government.
Women and the family remain neglected priorities. Too many women commit suicide. Too many women face divorces and unhappy marriages. Too many women college graduates don't see the future as one under the sunshine. Too many men show interest in too many women who enter the sex trade. Too many women experience rape and violence by men. Too many women performers and entertainers face mistreatment by their agents and managers. Many unwed and single mothers face a cold world trying to raise children as latter-day heroines.
These are some of the issues facing the political parties of South Korea in their pursuit of good government and continued advancement. In this context, the gender ministry remains an essential government department for the present and future. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family began in 2001, though it had existed earlier as a presidential commission. A Wikipedia page and the ministry's own website provides useful information on this cabinet-level post, its mission and works. Get rid of it? Oh, please!
Presidential candidacies recommending abolition shouldn't succeed, politically or spiritually. Citizens and friends of South Korea should demand an improvement in the opportunities and conditions for women and families. Equal pay for equal work, and comparable pay for comparable work deserve action. So do improved leave and childcare policies and providing universal childcare. Working women and the family deserve more social services. These are some policies today's candidates need to discuss. They intersect the work of this important ministry.
These political leaders, if the term is allowed, remind me of the tale of "A Clever Old Bride," shared by Zong In-sob in his wonderful "Folk Tales from Korea." Long ago, a bride marries a younger man who clearly isn't up to the task. Instead of providing and caring for his wife's needs, he simply prattles about demanding nurungi and whining like a baby. To save face when the husband's father visits, the bride has him hand her a gourd growing on their house's thatched roof. The woman upholds a man who isn't worth the time of day.
Rather than float the horrible dirigible of abolishing the gender and family ministry, serious candidates should promise increased funding to prosecute labor discrimination cases and invigorate policies and enforcement against sexual harassment. Affirmative action policies should advance more women in the ranks of government offices and in businesses, chaebol and otherwise. The government also should subsidize female-owned business startups. Support a candidate committed to a national organization for girls and young women such as Girl Up.
South Korea shouldn't fall further behind in this critical matter of social policy and advancement. Most advanced nations have moved forward, though much work also remains in those countries. I hope Korean citizens in the coming presidential election will call on all parties to increase gender equality and the family. Uphold the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family for the good of Korea! The Clever Old Bride is watching!
Bernard Rowan (browan10@yahoo.com) is associate provost for contract administration and professor of political science at Chicago State University. He is a past fellow of the Korea Foundation and former visiting professor at Hanyang University.
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It's amateurish to zero- n on this ministry. There are 18 in South Korea's government, and many of them have larger budgets. I'm sure there's some waste, inefficiency, and sub-optimal spending in any government ministry. I've read nothing to prove the leading one is the gender and family ministry. These pretenders' motivations are transparent.
It's sad but true that certain kinds of conservatives and reactionaries play games with gender politics under the guise of valuing efficiency in government. Korea's unenviable track record on issues of gender and family is egg on the national faces. It's pathetic.
Many young people depend on initiatives that strengthen the future of Korea's families and contribute to the livelihoods of Korean women. I've followed the qualified and limited progress of Korean society on gender and "ajumma" for 20 years. Women have too few and inadequate support channels as mothers, wives and workers. Women are the last hired and first fired. They're underpaid and underrepresented. Their needs aren't respected adequately by any recent administration's policies, including those of the current government.
Women and the family remain neglected priorities. Too many women commit suicide. Too many women face divorces and unhappy marriages. Too many women college graduates don't see the future as one under the sunshine. Too many men show interest in too many women who enter the sex trade. Too many women experience rape and violence by men. Too many women performers and entertainers face mistreatment by their agents and managers. Many unwed and single mothers face a cold world trying to raise children as latter-day heroines.
These are some of the issues facing the political parties of South Korea in their pursuit of good government and continued advancement. In this context, the gender ministry remains an essential government department for the present and future. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family began in 2001, though it had existed earlier as a presidential commission. A Wikipedia page and the ministry's own website provides useful information on this cabinet-level post, its mission and works. Get rid of it? Oh, please!
Presidential candidacies recommending abolition shouldn't succeed, politically or spiritually. Citizens and friends of South Korea should demand an improvement in the opportunities and conditions for women and families. Equal pay for equal work, and comparable pay for comparable work deserve action. So do improved leave and childcare policies and providing universal childcare. Working women and the family deserve more social services. These are some policies today's candidates need to discuss. They intersect the work of this important ministry.
These political leaders, if the term is allowed, remind me of the tale of "A Clever Old Bride," shared by Zong In-sob in his wonderful "Folk Tales from Korea." Long ago, a bride marries a younger man who clearly isn't up to the task. Instead of providing and caring for his wife's needs, he simply prattles about demanding nurungi and whining like a baby. To save face when the husband's father visits, the bride has him hand her a gourd growing on their house's thatched roof. The woman upholds a man who isn't worth the time of day.
Rather than float the horrible dirigible of abolishing the gender and family ministry, serious candidates should promise increased funding to prosecute labor discrimination cases and invigorate policies and enforcement against sexual harassment. Affirmative action policies should advance more women in the ranks of government offices and in businesses, chaebol and otherwise. The government also should subsidize female-owned business startups. Support a candidate committed to a national organization for girls and young women such as Girl Up.
South Korea shouldn't fall further behind in this critical matter of social policy and advancement. Most advanced nations have moved forward, though much work also remains in those countries. I hope Korean citizens in the coming presidential election will call on all parties to increase gender equality and the family. Uphold the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family for the good of Korea! The Clever Old Bride is watching!
Bernard Rowan (browan10@yahoo.com) is associate provost for contract administration and professor of political science at Chicago State University. He is a past fellow of the Korea Foundation and former visiting professor at Hanyang University.
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