Korean Job Discussion Forums

[basplar]

Lately, I've been reading a lot of articles about womens' rights and the education system in Korea in the "Korea Herald" newspaper. What amazes me is a lot of the problems that they talk about in the Herald articles (equal rights for woman, reforming the educational system, etc.), are still such problems here. I see it everyday in not only my workplace, but in Koreans everyday interactions. I realize that Confucianism has had a HUGE role in the development of the Korean language (ban-mal, jon-dae mal) and MANY other aspects of Korean society. That being said, I really think its time for Korea as a whole to move on, actually become modern, and stop this hierarchal, patriarchal system. First, Korean women need to be strong and stand up to men and say **** you to men that try to hold them back. Just yesterday there was an article in the Herald about this "glass ceiling" that so many Korean women see above them. Some examples of this "glass ceiling" being men who are less qualified being promoted before them and the almost TOTAL disregard for woman in management positions in most big business firms and government agencies in Korea. Also, woman hold only 13% of the seats in Korea's main legislative body, The National Assembly, and hold almost NO positions on important committees that handle the most important issues for Koreans. It's about time to see women walking through the streets burning their bras like they did in the U.S. in the 1960's. Women need to stand up for themselves and discard their concern for what men think of their actions. Second, the educational system in Korea (in elem., mid., high schools) is still a stronghold of Confucianism in Korea. I see it every day. Students are often discouraged from speaking about their ideas and are expected to just sit and listen (a.k.a.-the teacher-student relationship in Confucianism). This is NOT the most effective way to teach subjects such as language, art, and music because those subjects require participation and practice to acquire the information presented to them by the teacher. This is not the fault of the students, but rather a lot of the older teachers in Korea that are set in their ways and not open minded. Now, I think the more young teachers that filter into the educational system (and the more older teachers retire), the more this will change. If Koreans are going to claim that they have a "modern" culture, then it's about time they started acting like it (especially women.....BE STRONG WOMEN!!). I realize that things ARE changing here,...for the better, but it's still not fast enough to match the claims of having a "modern" culture.

Does anyone have thoughts on this matter?

Mod Edit: Edited for language.

[Hater Depot]

patriarchy /= confucianism

[EFLtrainer]

Beating a dead horse. Preaching to the choir. Wow, do you realize how much Korea has changed already?

Your comments seem well-intended, but they are also a bit patronizing. All the issues you mention also exist still in Western nations. And everyone on these forums is familiar with them if they ahve been here any time at all.

But let me give you a few examples of the changes in the last 10 - 15 years:

1. There was virtually no PDA.

2. You never saw the legs of midriffs of women.

3. The divorce rate was 5%. It is now 47%, largely due to women telling men to *beep* off, as you put it.

4. Virtually no woman expected to work after marriage. The number of working married women and working mothers are both rising steadily.

5. There has been a female leader of one of the two major political parties.

6. Teens didn't date.

7. Virtually no young, unmarried Korean lived alone. It was rare even for college students away from home.

8. 1993 was the first truly free election since the Korean War era.

9. Students now openly debate/complain about the rigidity in the educationbal system.

10. Students increasingly want to choose their majors and their universities. (They do not at this time.)

11. The marrying age was 24 - 28. It's now more like the thirties.

12. EVERYONE went home for Chusok. Not so much anymore, even among non-Christians.

13. The laws now allow a woman to have custody of children after divorce. Before it was at the father's discretion only.

14. They are trying to do away with the family registry as it discriminates against women.

So, don't be quite so quick to judge without first examining the processes of change already in motion.

[basplar]

[Moldy Rutabaga]

[....]

[Yo!Chingo]

[Hater Depot]

Your score on the college entrance exam limits your choices of major.

[Junior]

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[Homer]

Define "too great" and what you understand to be confucianism as it applies to Korea.

Then you might get relevant answers to your query....

[numazawa]

[EFLtrainer]

[Barking Mad Lord Snapcase]

[seoulsucker]

Dear Korea,

[basplar]

Barking Mad Lord Snapcase wrote: