The State Of Women’s Rights In South Korea

Ousted South Korea’s former President Park Geun-hye, center, arrives at her private home in Seoul, South Korea, on Sunday. She vacated the presidential palace and returned to her home two days after the Constitutional Court removed her from office.
Ousted South Korea's former President Park Geun-hye, center, arrives at her private home in Seoul, South Korea, on Sunday. She vacated the presidential palace and returned to her home two days after the Constitutional Court removed her from office.
Ousted South Korea’s former President Park Geun-hye, center, arrives at her private home in Seoul, South Korea, on Sunday. She vacated the presidential palace and returned to her home two days after the Constitutional Court removed her from office.
Ousted South Korea's former President Park Geun-hye, center, arrives at her private home in Seoul, South Korea, on Sunday. She vacated the presidential palace and returned to her home two days after the Constitutional Court removed her from office.

The State Of Women’s Rights In South Korea

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Ousted president Park Geun-Hye became South Korea’s first democratically-elected president to be removed from office following her impeachment by parliament in December. But back in 2013, Park’s victory was considered a milestone by many in South Korea’s patriarchal society.

Today, many members of South Korean women’s organizations are angry with the ousted president, and worry that the scandal could send the message that women are unfit to lead. South Korea is already one of the lowest-ranked countries in the world in gender-equality.

According to the Korean Women’s Association United, gender inequality has worsened under Ms. Park—with a growing wealth gap and sex crimes on the rise. We discuss the current state of women’s rights in South Korea with Suzy Kim, Associate Professor of Korean History at Rutgers University.​