The current status of Korean women scientists and affirmative actions by the Korean government

摘要

Throughout 5000 years of Korean history, the status of women in Korea was very high. There was no discrimination between daughters and sons, and parents divided their properties equally among all their children. Wives had their own property, and married daughters lived with their family until their children became adults. But the two great wars caused by invasions by Japan and China from the end of 16th century until the middle of 17th century changed Korean society completely. Confucianism became prevalent and a very strong patriarchal system prevailed. Korean women were restricted to the home. When they had to go outside the home, they had to wear clothes that covered their whole body and face, similar to that of an Islamic fundamentalist society. After World War II and the Korean War, the strong influence of the western culture changed the status of Korean women. It has been improving gradually, although at a very slow speed. Throughout, parents have always had high educational aspirations for their daughters, although sons always had the first priority. Thus, the fact that most of the highly educated women could not have jobs because of the prejudice against them caused many of these women anxieties and problems. Although the level of education of Korean women is very high, the use of this resource is very low. According to the United Nations Development Program's "Human Development Report 2000," the Human Development Index of Korea is ranked 31 out of 174 nations, while the Gender Empowerment Measure is ranked 63 out of 70. In the government, there are only two women among more than 20 ministers, and 15 congresswomen among 273 members.