[FORUM] Boosting diversity, equality major tasks for Korea’s sustainable development

Policymakers, experts call for women’s equal opportunities across sectors at Korea Times Forum

By Jun Ji-hye

Top-level government officials and experts from different fields shared their insights on the diversity and gender balance in the public and private sectors, Wednesday, stressing that boosting such values is key to ensuring the sustainable development of the country.

During the 2024 Korea Times Forum, themed “Toward diversity, inclusiveness and equality,” the participants said balanced gender representation and women’s active economic participation will contribute to improving creativity and openness across various sectors. They emphasized that Korea’s primary task is to explore relevant policies and support measures, considering its relatively low ranking in gender equality indexes despite its economic development.

Three of the four incumbent women ministers — Patriots and Veterans Affairs Minister Kang Jung-ai, Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Minister Song Mi-ryung and SMEs and Startups Minister Oh Young-ju — participated in the forum and delivered congratulatory speeches.

“The whole country should work together to address women’s career disruptions caused by marriage and child care and to remove glass ceilings,” Kang said. “It will not be easy, but if the government, companies and households make efforts all together, we can make it possible.”

Citing that the country saw an increasing number of women becoming soldiers, police officers and firefighters in recent years, Kang said that welfare programs for women patriots or veterans have been considered more important. She said that the ministry is making efforts to reflect these needs in policies encompassing medical services and reemployment.

Song noted that women account for 51 percent of the population in the country’s farming areas and play a pivotal role in producing crops and maintaining the community. However, she said, there has been insufficient support for them.

“We will draw up various policies to create a safe living environment and expand welfare programs for women farmers,” she said. “In addition, we will also work to create an inclusive community that embraces marriage migrants as well as foreign laborers who are playing another important part in those areas.”

Oh said it is important to expand women’s participation in economic activities and encourage more women to establish their own companies, citing OECD data showing that a country’s GDP increases by 12 percent when the level of the economic participation of men and women is similar.

“My ministry will work to create an environment where women can compete with men under equal conditions. We will also help companies led by women take a leap forward through globalization,” she said.

Oh noted that the ministry will actively support the establishment of companies by women, particularly in areas such as cosmetics, as well as their entry into global marketplaces like Amazon.

Reform Party lawmaker Lee Jun-seok, the former chairman of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), looked back on the PPP’s 2021 leadership race where he was elected.

He said other than his election as the youngest-ever leader of the nation’s main conservative party, there was another surprising result — three out of five Supreme Council members elected were women.

He attributed the women members gaining ground at the time to the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said played a role in reshaping the election campaign culture.

“Because of the pandemic, the male-centric culture in the political scene, which is mostly defined as having dinner or drinking together at night and promoting friendships, disappeared. And women candidates, who previously faced some difficulties in carrying out such activities, could compete with male counterparts in equal conditions, being able to present their visions and ideas through speeches or debates. I think this media-centric election campaign caused by the pandemic brought about success to women politicians,” he said.

Lee said his party will continue to work to ensure fair competition between men and women.

Violinist Han Soo-jin emphasized the importance of education and nurturing an inclusive mindset from an early age.

“Education is the cornerstone of change and not just about academic success. It’s about building a foundation for a healthy society,” she said.

She also said women, with their natural inclination to nurture, can effectively foster an inclusive environment. “This is why empowering women across all sectors is vital for the future of our society,” she said.

Seung Myung-ho, chairman of The Korea Times and its sister publication, Hankook Ilbo, said Korea’s economy has faced a new challenge in an era of rapid change globally.

“In response to this change, we should achieve the gender balance and promote women’s economic participation. Toward that end, supportive measures as well as cultural improvements are necessary,” he said.

In the first session of the forum, moderated by Park Jung-sook, secretary-general of the World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization, experts and foreign envoys discussed measures to enhance women’s representation in the public sector.

In the following session, moderated by Blackstone Advisors Korea Chairman Ha Yung-ku, the panelists talked about women’s empowerment at companies.

Some 150 figures, including foreign ambassadors and diplomats in Korea, CEOs and other heads of companies and financial groups, attended the forum.