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South Korea’s “Me Too” motion sparked dialogue on gender equality points and discrimination, laying the groundwork for a brand new wave of feminism to take root, and even difficult these beforehand thought-about untouchable, like former presidential candidate Ahn Hee-Jung. By 2017, then-presidential candidate Moon Jae-in campaigned with guarantees of gender equality efforts throughout the authorities, and in 2019 the Moon administration enacted laws tried to handle office harassment.
Nonetheless, the nation maintains one of many largest gender pay gaps in developed economies. In keeping with OECD information in 2022, males made 31.2 % greater than girls, the very best wage hole amongst OECD members. The second-highest wage hole is in Israel, at 25.4 %.
Regardless of hopes for a broader feminist motion and a focus to claims of discrimination towards girls, such efforts sparked pushback amongst younger Korean males. This gave rise to the phenomenon of 이대남 or “idaenam,” which accurately interprets to “males of their 20s” however figuratively additionally conveys a way of anger and discontent.
Main into the 2022 presidential election, anti-feminist backlash took middle stage, doubtlessly aiding within the victory of the Individuals Energy Celebration’s candidate, Yoon Suk-yeol. Yoon straight appealed towards the so-called idaenam, enjoying into anti-feminist ideology. On the marketing campaign path, Yoon denied that gender inequality existed and steered abolishing the Ministry of Gender Equality and Household, claiming that its continuation would solely deal with males as “potential intercourse criminals.” He even implied that South Korea’s dwindling start fee is a results of feminism.
Some defended Yoon’s feedback, suggesting he was merely uninformed or a “late learner.” Nevertheless, Yoon’s place was neither an unusual nor an unpopular one. In 2021, the chairman of the PPP, Lee Jun-seok, lambasted Moon’s equality measures, additionally stating that the Ministry of Gender Equality and Household must be abolished. Even presidential candidate of Moon’s Democratic Celebration, Lee Jae-myung, additionally tried to enchantment to anti-feminist sentiment.
Largely lacking in these discussions of gender discrimination is whether or not the general public views discrimination as commonplace and to what extent South Koreans have personally skilled gender discrimination. Survey work over the previous 4 years equally suggests a rising view, particularly amongst youthful males, who imagine that they’re the targets of discrimination and that equality efforts exacerbate this.
Whereas assessing South Korea’s standing on gender equality stays sophisticated, we give attention to one side: perceptions of discrimination and perceived adjustments since Yoon’s inauguration. We surveyed 1,300 South Korean residents in a nationwide internet survey from September 27 to October 11, carried out by Macromill Embrain, with quota sampling based mostly on gender, age, and area. On this, we requested a number of normal questions associated to gender discrimination and discrimination seen underneath Yoon’s presidency.
First, we requested respondents, “Do you imagine that gender discrimination is commonplace in South Korea?” General, we discover the general public practically evenly break up, with 51 % believing it’s commonplace, with girls way more prone to reply within the affirmative (60 % vs. 42 %). These numbers recommend a marked lower in charges by about 20 % amongst each women and men in comparison with a yr in the past; nonetheless, this can be a perform of elevated consideration to gender points throughout the marketing campaign cycle.
As well as, we see little distinction amongst age cohorts 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, and 50-59, with majorities between 50.6 % and 55.9 % stating gender discrimination is commonplace. Solely the 60+ cohort was extra prone to say that it’s not (55.9 %).
Nevertheless, when damaged down by cohort and gender, a number of noticeable distinctions emerge. First, amongst males, perception that gender discrimination is frequent peaks amongst these 18-29 (45.9 %), dropping to 37.7 % amongst these 60+. In distinction, amongst girls, over two-thirds of all cohorts underneath 50 said discrimination was commonplace, with the bottom charges total among the many 60+ group at 49.5 %.
Subsequent, we requested, “Have you ever been the sufferer of gender discrimination?” A minority answered sure (42.6 %), however with a lot larger charges amongst girls (61.6 % vs. 23.8 %). Damaged down by age, we see claims from males are highest within the 18-29 cohort (36.1 %), with related charges amongst these 40-49 (33.1 %). Amongst girls, all cohorts underneath 60 had roughly two-thirds of respondents or extra declare that they had been a sufferer, the very best charges amongst these aged 30-39 (76.6 %). As well as, having been a sufferer strongly corresponds with believing discrimination is commonplace, even after controlling for gender, age, earnings, schooling, and political ideology.
Taken collectively, these findings recommend that youthful South Korean males usually tend to imagine gender discrimination exists – however that’s possible as a result of extra males on this age group imagine that they themselves have skilled discrimination, not as a result of they imagine girls face structural boundaries to equality.
Lastly, we requested, “Do you suppose gender discrimination has elevated, decreased, or stayed about the identical for the reason that election of President Yoon?” Right here, we see clear majorities imagine it has stayed about the identical (63.9 %), with girls solely barely extra possible to present this reply in comparison with males (65.4 % vs. 62.4 %).
Nevertheless, a transparent divergence emerges when separated by views on discrimination as commonplace. Amongst those that disagreed that gender discrimination is frequent in South Korea, 71.1 % noticed no change underneath Yoon, and 17.4 % indicated a rise. Nevertheless, those that stated sure to the primary query had been practically twice as prone to say discrimination elevated (34.4 %), though a majority nonetheless noticed no change (57 %). Damaged down by gender, this sample endures; those that imagine gender discrimination is commonplace had been about twice as prone to say discrimination elevated underneath Yoon.
One interpretation for these patterns could also be that those that already believed discrimination to be commonplace had been extra prone to be primed to see discrimination. Amongst girls on this group, the rhetoric of the election cycle might have additionally led to assumptions that opposition to gender equality efforts would exacerbate discrimination. This speaks extra broadly to the problem of measuring views on discrimination past one’s private experiences.
The function of discrimination in election rhetoric might have additionally heightened perceptions in 2022. Wanting again at survey information from 2022 shortly after Yoon’s victory, 83.8 % of ladies believed that gender discrimination was commonplace in South Korea and amongst males in 2022, 36 % responded within the affirmative. This additional means that rhetoric surrounding election cycles might have an effect on these outcomes.
Whether or not gender discrimination has modified substantively underneath the Yoon administration is unlikely to be evident within the quick time period. Furthermore, with declining approval rankings and conflicts inside his personal get together, addressing discrimination perceptions is probably not the precedence that the election campaigning steered.
Nevertheless, perceptions of discrimination might create extra challenges. For instance, in accordance with the World Financial Discussion board, South Korea noticed one of many largest regressions within the area by way of gender parity in political engagement from 2022-2023 in East Asia.
Funding for this survey was supplied by the Academy of Korean Research (AKS) in addition to the Mahurin Honors School at Western Kentucky College.
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