Korean Candle Demonstration against U.S. Beef
Teenage girls play an important role in forming public opinions

by Park Heejung from a feminist journel, Ilda

The series of demonstrations in which the protestors expressed their public opinions against U.S. beef, were found to be outstandingly different from other rallies which had been organized before:

The political views were not important in the series of demonstrations. Many participants who were engaged in the candlelight vigils often said "(before) I have never joined rallies nor demonstrations. But this time I can't stand any more."

The demonstrators are very different from conservative Korean press' points of view about who they are. In this demonstration, not leftists nor anti-U.S. activists, but citizens took the lead, who were concerned about the right to health and thought this new regime made a big mistake during the U.S. beef negotiation. Nevertheless, they are also worried about that their pure intention might be made a bad use of by the existing certain political powers or 'radical activists.'

'Teenage girls', majority of demonstrators

It is another important characteristic at the candlelight vigil that the great majority of the demonstrations are teenage girls.

At the Cheonggyecheon Plaza women especially teenage girls who have never been organized before were shouting their voice "No Mad Cows" at the candlelight vigils, and this is often a fresh shock to many 'adult' participants in the demonstration.

However, some conservative journalists who want to criticize the candlelight vigils underestimate the participation of teenage girls, saying that innocent teenagers are being affected by some bad stars. Even though, teenagers clearly recognize they can be victims by themselves. They recognize the U.S. beef problems are theirs. If the problematic beef is imported cheaply, they recognized that it will be used in school canteens above all, and they will be very harmfully affected because they are physically young and vulnerable.Teenagers' thoughts are not just limited to mad cow diseases. They are also concerned about the government's overall plans such as the privatization of health insurance and the construction of a canal across the nation. Young people and netizens shared these matters including mad cow diseases on the net even before the plan to import the U.S. beef. In addition, they recognize themselves as the 'futures of Korea'. One of the most popular words nowadays is that 'it was students who right wrongs in Korea.' Teenagers show ill feelings against injustice that the old generation ignores.

Since conservative journalists liked to minimize or hide this issue, and blamed students are leftists, or anti-U.S. people or 'brainwashed‘ teens were very outrageous. Morever, strange stories or wild rumor spread by the conservative press had already been found to be reported by themselves during the previous regime. Internet is a space in which the press should not bounce out easily, because netizens can easily disclose it by just surfing the net.
 
Teenage girls, forming public opinion and taking active action

There should be more analysis about 'why the majority of demonstrators are women.' In order to find the answers, we should listen to what teen girls speak to us. Almost all teenage girls 'take care of others' when they speak out in a demonstration or on the net: 'What shall I do if my mom and daddy are sick from the U.S. beef contaminated by mad cow disease'; 'my brothers may have to have the U.S. beef at the army.

Information is exchanged at net communities and on the internet where teenage girls are very active, which is women-oriented participation. News posts on portal sites were mostly written by males. Now, it is outstanding that teenage women become in the vanguard of forming public opinions.

Women are relatively more sensitive to the issue of foods. Regardless of the matter of justice or injustice, they were worried about the right to health of their families and friends. Because they are 'sympathetic and care' about their families and friends and they feel it's their generations trouble, teenage girls are very desparate.

The Korean society should learn so many things from public opinions led by teenage girls and from public sentiments made by teenage girls' active participation.

Before, some demonstrators sensitive to violence by policemen were in conflict with the police. But, May 6th, 2008 participants in the rally decided on 'silent candle demonstration.'

  2008/05/06 [13:18] ⓒ www.ildaro.com (quoted from: http://www.ildaro.com/sub_read.htmluid=4404§ion=sc3§ion2=)

[Hotline for Equality] Analysis of 2007's statistics on counseling

Irregular workers experience more dismissals related to pregnancy and child delivery than regular workers in terms of gender discrimination counseling

≫ Women workers' situations through counseling analysis conducted by Hotline for Equality in 2007

by KimShin Hae-jung (KWWA staff member)

Hotlines for Equality (sited in 8 regions including Seoul, Incheon, Pucheon, Ansan, Masan & Changwon, North Cholla province, kwangju and Pusan) annexed to KWWA, received the total number of 2,353 cases related to female labor in 2007, (except re-counseling and male counseling). If we look at the characteristics of women workers who had counseling with Hotlines for Equality, 74.1% are married and 40.1% are over 40 years old, which means the great majority are middle aged married women. In addition, 62.1% work at very small companies with less than 30 employees and 44.1% are irregular workers.

■ 62.3% are working condition related counseling, which is somewhat increased compared to those in 2006

In terms of contents about counseling, working conditions such as wage delays and unfair dismissals accounted for 62.3% out of the total counseling in 2007, which was the highest percentage, maternity leave 14.1%, sexual harassment at workplace 11.1%, and gender discrimination 7.0%. In the case of changes in the contents about counseling for these 3 years, working conditions related counseling which accounted for 54.9% in 2006, increased dramatically in 2007, but counseling regarding gender discrimination, sexual harassment, maternity leaves, verbal and physical violences decreased a little bit. This shows that working condition related counseling increased due to worsening working conditions for women workers, caused by deepening social polarization and flexibility in the labor market.

<Figure 1:> Changes in counseling for these 3 years

■ Fewer irregular workers received maternity leave related counseling relative to regular workers

In terms of maternity leaves, regular workers accounted for 71.5% (158 cases), and irregular workers 28.5% (63 cases). Compared to the percent (21.9%) in 2006 there was an increase by 6.6% in the number of irregular workers. However, relative to regular workers, the percentage of irregular workers were very low, which shows the amended Maternity Protection Enactment does not well cover irregular workers who account for 70% out of the total number of women workers. In this regard, practical and feasible maternity protection related measures for irregular workers are needed.

Regular workers have a higher number of maternity leave and child care leave related counseling compared to irregular workers, but irregular workers received 3.6% higher counseling regarding others than regular workers. Basic maternity protection related counseling such as compensations for mansturation leave was discussed, which means women irregular workers work in poorer working conditions.

(Table) Distribution of maternity protection by employment type

■ 59.2%, Dismissal and disadvantage due to pregnancy and child delivery out of gender discrimination related counseling

Gender discrimination accounts for 7.0% (164 cases) out of the total counseling. In details, pregnancy and child delivery related gender discrimination was quite high, which accounted for 59.2% (34.8% pregnancy and child delivery related dismissal, and 24.4% disadvantages related to pregnancy and child delivery). pregnancy and child delivery related gender discrimination in 2007 rose by 16.7% relative to that in 2006, which shows pregnancy and child delivery have still affected women workers.

(Diagram) Distribution of gender discrimination related counseling

■ 81.3% high sexual harassment by seniors and bosses in workplace

increasing sexual harassment by business acquaintances and customers

11.1% (261 cases) out of the total counselees experience sexual harassment in the workplace. Women workers in their 20s accounted for 61.2% and women working less than 1 year 55.2%, and unmarried women workers 68.5%. This shows counseling regarding sexual harassment in workplace is usually undertaken by unmarried women in their 20s working less than one year.

<Table > Distribution of sexual harassment in workplace by characteristics between 2005~2007

In the case of offenders of sexual harassment by type, seniors accounted for 41.2%, bosses 40.1%, coworkers 9.3% and others 9.3%. Out of the total offenders, 81.3% sexual harassment occur by seniors and bosses, which shows sexual harassment violates women workers' rights to work making use of position hierarchies in workplace.

Related to that in 2006, it is characteristic that sexual harassment was decreased by seniors but that sexual harassment by bosses was largely increased from 30.5% in 2006 to 40.1% in 2007, and that by coworkers was somewhat decreased to 9.3% in 2007. Other offenders were mainly business acquaintances and customers.

Because work environments has changed a lot, there have been increases in the number of subcontracted and dispatched workers, and so sexual harassment occurs not only in the companies with which women workers made contracts, but also by the third persons such as mother companies and related companies, and customers. In particular, one out of 3 women workers were employed in sales and service sector. Work environments of women workers have changed. Women workers are put in the blind spot of sexual harassment in workplace, if but the relation of employment is considered not actual task relation. Therefore, sexual harassment by the third persons such as acquaintances and customers should be regulated.

[Hope Center to Abolish Poverty and Increase the Rights of Women Workers]

I have hopes now!

Dear Seoul Women Workers' Association

I was so in pain feeling guilty. That's why I tried to work as a part-timer, however, it is not easy to change and payrolls for part-timers were so poor that they are enough just for transportation fees.

However, I can't put my kids in hardship, and so I used my credit cards quite often for private tutoring, cost of living, medical costs and so on. That's why my debts were increasing, and the tuition fee for child care center was quite high, and most of all, medical costs were incredibly high. I felt why life was so tough and wondered why I had to experience the hardships.

I cried a lot, but I always thought of my kid's bright and innocent look. I usually say to myself that I should be brave and powerful when I look at my daughter sleeping beside me. I often say to myself that I shouldn't disappoint her. I would be a beautiful and helpful mother for my innocent kid.

One day, when I was looking at a community information leaflet, I found an advertisement that Seoul Women Workers' Association can support free domestic or child care workers for single parents families. At the first time I felt it's not true. However, when it was true I was so happy. Anyway, I have decided to utilize the chance to upgrade my quality of life.

However, I was so concerned about if child care service worker might visit me. As I am not good at housekeeping jobs, I asked for a domestic helper at the first time. She was hard working and passionate, but with time I needed a child care worker more. I hope the house caretaker was able to help me, but she had to continue to care for her old customer first, and so I had to choose another helper. She is so nice and qualified that she is able to understand mothers and children. She has only two sons, so she said she wants to work for a home where a daughter is raised. She treated my kid like her daughter.

She took care of my kid like her family. For example, she went to library with my kid, played with my daughter on the playground, and took a walk with her, which I couldn't do for her. She even prepared birthday for my daughter, and she is very nice, and so my kid liked her very much, calling her "auntie".

In addition, Seoul Women Workers' Association arranged us to go to have a fun with my families. We (single parents) went to Namee islet in the summer, and to sleigh ride in the winter. We couldn't manage to go to trip if only we had to organize it by ourselves. The NGO prepared lots of refreshments and foods for us, so we didn't need to become concerned about that.

I haven't been to Namee islet before, and I couldn't go to enjoy sleigh rides. I had a real fun. During the last one year when the child care worker visited my home, I can learn several things and paid off all the debts. Now I can carve some hopes in my heart.

Thank you for everyone who helped me. I can water my hopes.

Best regards,

Park Eun-young (a single parent belonging to SWWA)

[Hope Center to Abolish Poverty and Increase the Rights of Women Workers]

Single parent families, fly high with the wings of hope!
- Outcomes of women single parent families care services

by Jung Moon-ja, vice chairperson of KWWA

Preparing better job conditions for women single parent families

98% happy with the quality of services

A satisfaction survey showed the care service was a substantial support for single parents families.

․ Survey conducted between November 5th and 17th, 2007.
․ Targets: 164 women single parents families in the 5 regions who received the care services.
․ Satisfaction level : 98.2% were satisfied with the services.

* Changes after receiving the care service

Various programs along with care services operated

A variety of programs including training, campaigns and meetings in addition to care services were provided to single parent families, which makes contribution to producing mutual supports and stronger capability.

First of all, women single parents' meetings have functioned well as venues for mutual encouragement and supports, sharing difficulties such as educations for children together, and exchanging information. These meetings will be continued even after the care services are finalized.

Secondly, KWWA also provided single parent families with diverse training programs in terms of active parent training (A.P.T.), improvement of self-respect and esteem and understanding poor women. When they received the training programs, they talked about themselves and their children honestly in tears and tried to find alternatives.

Thirdly, women single parents' participation in local campaigns and rallies for provoking the increases in supporting single parent families, encouraged each other a lot. During the presidential campaigns, women single parents gather together and made presidential demands by themselves, and they joined campaigns and rallies to publicize their situations. About 130 women single parents belonging to KWWA's regional branches took a part of the first nationwide rally for single parents held on October 7th, 2007.

Fourthly, a variety of programs for women single parent families gave them chances to enjoy with their family members and to talk honestly and to "travel with kids" together. In the spring, KWWA organized excursions with family members, waterside vacation & family camps in the summer vacation, an excursion for viewing autumnal leaves in the fall and sleigh rides, Santa Clause events and year-end parties in the winter. In addition, KWWA tried to provide chances for those who are usually isolated from culture, to carry out cultural activities such as visiting museums, joining musicals, and experiencing mud-flats.

In order to publicize project outcomes

Based on outcomes of our care services KWWA issued a counseling case collection entitled "Single parent families, fly high with the wings of hope" and distributed KWWA's regional branches, authorities related and public authorities. In November 2007 KWWA had a briefing when women single parents from its 5 regional branches and participants in the project attended together. Case manager and developers, women single parents, and child care service workers presented their touching stories and amusing skills by region. In addition, KWWA filmed tearful situations and dream of women single parent families and care services from the 5 regions and presented it in the regional meetings.

KWWA provided a variety of support and assistances for women single parents through care services for the last one year and gained a lot. However, supports for single parent families are not still systematic or good enough, and in future, single parents, themselves, will continue calling for the increase in supports for their independence.

Still unsolved tasks - 5 hopes of single parent families

1. Social integration should be realized through supporting single parent families

▷ Increase and expand scholarships for children from low income single parent families.
▷ Support culture programs including family integration programs for children and single parents.
▷ Establish and increase single parent family support centers to carry out counseling and supports for single parents.
▷ Acknowledge more various types of families.

2. Strengthen vocational training for single parents and expand job opportunities for them.

▷ Expand job opportunities for single parents.
▷ Support cost of living and scholarships for them to focus on job training firmly (for a long period).

3. Prevent poverty through supporting single parents' independence.

▷ Provide assistances for their independence for the first 2 years.
▷ Increase child care support (from 50,000 won to 100,000).
▷ Increase legally standard earning of employed single parents to the level of 150% of minimum wages.

4. Protect the right to health through providing medical supports for single parents.

▷ Support medical costs for low income single parents and their children.
▷ Support care services for employed single parent families.

5. Upgrade single parent families' satisfaction through improving their housing.

▷ Increase the number of public housing offered by local authorities in order to cut the vicious poverty circle because of very heavy monthly rents.
▷ Decrease rent burdens of single parent families through applying different rent systems by wages to public and council housing.

Korean Women's Day Organizing Committee for Celebrating 100 Years of International Women's Day (KWDOC), formed by 167 nationwide women's organizations such as Korean Women’s Associations United (KWAU), Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), and Women Corea, hosted Korean Women's Day Festival in celebration of 100 years of International Women's Day on March 8th 2008, under the slogan "Women, let's open the curtain of new communities world." This festival aims to commemorate 100 years of international women's day, to project a sustainable future of the Korean women's movement, and to have good communication with people.

At the ceremony, Wednesday demonstrations organized by the Korean Council for Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan won 20th Korean Women's Movement Award, and 'Statement by Korean Women' was declared entitled "Women, let's open the curtain of new communities world."

A big parade and performances were followed to show hope and dream for new communities society. At the parade 5,000 members in 4 different colors, belonging to nationwide women's organizations marched about 3.8 km, along with car parades with the themes of "Women open a world," "Women take action," "Women fly high," and "New communities world."

<Slogans>

"Women, Let's open the curtain of new communities world."

Neoliberal globalisation is worsening and hurting community values and social public spirits by driving people into unlimited competition and severe effectiveness. Worsening social polarization, feminization of poverty, irregular women workers, and discrimination and violence have become frequently heard and affected women's lives, which reflects the poor reality of women. Korean women's wages account for 60% of those of Korean men, and irregular women workers 67.6% out of the whole Korean women workers.  The great majority of care workers are women, whose rights are not protected. Poverty levels of Korean women single parent families are 3 times worse than male single parent families. While women take one step forward, but their hopes usually move two steps backward in the society. We, women are alternatives in new communities world where the values of humans, caring and mutual help are cherished. We, women endeavor to pro-actively make reciprocal communities world of women's strong wills, in which materialistic ideologies are overcome and human races are cared as invaluable, in which rights to work, human rights and welfare systems for social minorities and disabled people are highly protected, where social security nets are well woven and good jobs are created, where living communities with the value of caring and sharing actively function through socializing care labor, and in which diversity is respected and different people live together in peace.

<Our Three Major Values>: "humans, caring and mutual help"

Each word of ‘humans, caring and mutual help' has a very significant meaning, but their implications become far more strong, inter-mingled and valuable when they are put together.

'Humans' are a lot more precious roots of the tree of new communities world compared to materials. 'Caring' is a twinkling jewel of consideration, sharing and reciprocity in our lives, which cannot be changed into numbers or money. In addition, 'mutual help' is to respect differences between people and people, nature and humans, rural areas and cities, the disabled and the non-disabled, and migrant workers, and to grow up and live together in peace.

We, women endeavor to make new communities world in which the values of 'humans, caring and mutual help' are respected and 'happiness index' is a lot more powerful than 'gross national product', where caring is more valuable than competition and people believe in trust and promise, and in which people can prop on each other. We, women dream about the new communities world.

<9 Tasks>

1. End discrimination against irregular workers! Realize reasonable minimum wages!

2. Achieve food sovereignty!   Protect social status of women farmers! 

3. Expand the party list proportional representation system!

4. Build peaceful unification structures in the Korean peninsula!  

5. Carry out gender equal family policies, and strengthen public spirited child care systems!

6. Provide wholistic education on human rights and enact the Gender Discrimination Prevention Act!

7. End discrimination against migrant women and protect their rights! 

8. Strengthen 'affirmative action!'

9. Withdraw the new government's plan to build a cross-country canal!

 “Single Parent Families Fly High with the Wing of Hope”

On November 24, 2007 about 100 women single parents and people involved in our project joined a heartwarming briefing on the single parent family care service support project. Reports of processes and activities undertaken for 9 months were made. 78 out of 164 were found to be employed and receive vocational training. We were all pleased at our care receivers' high satisfaction levels, as 99 answered they were psychologically stable since good care of their children were taken and 127 were satisfied because women single parents are become less pressed for time.

Followed were presentations about how 28 year-old woman single parent and another who became a single parent when studying abroad and are now living with her two children had been looked after and changed, by our activists in charge of the project in Ansan and Seoul. Additionally, Soon-Im Lee, a care mother dispatched to houses, belonging to the Suwon Women’s Association briefed about her sentiments and advantages of the project felt during the period of her looking after children, and also expressed her gratitude for giving her a chance to participate in the good project. We were all very touched.

Then, when told was serious suffering about Cho Ee-Han  who have been receiving care from Buchon Women Workers Association, whose husband died of stomach cancer and whose daughter are suffering from the Moyamoya disease, and who had to find another wing of hope since this service project would be stopped in February 2008, participants dropped their tears.

The heartrending story encouraged us to make and present single parents’ 5 wishes, as fundamental solutions (1. Realize social incorporation through supporting single parent families 2. Increase job opportunities through providing practical and substantial vocational training for single parents 3. Prevent poverty through assisting and increasing self-independence of single parents 4. Ensure the right to health through giving medical assistance to single parents 5. Increase standards of living and life satisfaction through improving residential environments). For entertainment songs and dances were presented, well-prepared by our regional organizations. The briefing and its subsequent events were fun, providing touches of humanities and inspiring all of us.

‘Rice represents public sentiments’: the performance of a dish made with all five grains was given

On both November 14^th and 15^th 2007, the Korean Women’s Associations United (KWWA) organized to presidential candidates, 60 policy tasks presenting ceremonies, under the title of ‘Rice represents public sentiments.’

Almost throughout this year, KWWA had discussed and formulated agendas with its 6 branch organizations and 29 member organizations. Under the slogan ‘Let’s work together and take care together,’ selected are as 4 key tasks, tCreating good jobs through expanding public-spirited social services tincreasing supports for encouraging single parent families’ independence texpanding child care and support after school, and tinstituting gender-sensitive education on peace and human rights.

KWWA presented the selected 60 policy tasks to each presidential candidate through the performance of a dish made with all five grains (rice, millet, beans, wheat, and barnyard millet) entitled ‘Rice represents public sentiments.’ The first policy tasks presenting ceremony were prepared for Moon Kuk-hyun, Creative Korea Party’s presidential candidate on November 14^th 2007, and Jung Dong-young, United Democratic Party’s candidate and Kwon Young Gil, Democratic Labor Party’s candidate on November 15^th 2007, respectively.

Rice symbolizing public sentiment and a dish made with all five grains symbolizing longevity, health, prosperity of offspring, and abundant livelihood stand for good jobs and various social support systems. At the same time when KWWA conveyed the 60 policy tasks along with the dish made with all five grains, the candidates promised to KWWA that good care of the livelihood of the people, women, and economy for the masses should be taken like warm rice in the era of socioeconomic polarization.

On November 14^th 2007, at the ceremony KWWA’s policy tasks were given to Moon Kuk-hyun, Creative Korea Party’s presidential candidate. He stressed “About 60 trillion Won are created as black money and slush funds from the industry of civil engineering and construction. Out of the back money, if only 20 trillion Won are used for child care and welfare for children Korea can be a World’ top welfare country as livable as European countries.” Additionally, a Creative Korea Party’s policy kit for women ‘Women are hope’ was given to KWWA at the ceremony.

On November 15^th 2007, many congresswomen working in the election preparation committee for the gender equality attended the ceremony organized for Jung Dong-young, United Democratic Party’s candidate. Namhee Park, chairperson of the Korean Women's Trade Union (KWTU) underlined the importance of good jobs for women, mentioning “70% of Korean working women are irregular workers,” when giving the agendas to the candidate. Jang Myung-sook, a chairperson of the Differently Abled Women United claimed “The average academic attainment of disabled women is elementary school graduation. Policies for poor women should vary by life circle.” Jung Dong-young gave his opinion on women’s policies saying “The amount of 9 trillion Won from the budget is needed if the government takes social responsibility for pregnancy, child delivery, and childcare. My fundamental principal is to back up investment on people. The essence of the investment on people is that the state should take care of pregnancy, child delivery, and childcare.”

Additionally, on November 15^th 2007, at the ceremony KWWA’s policy tasks were presented to Kwon  Young Gil , Democratic Labor Party’s candidate. Meehyuk Kwon, a co-chairperson of the Korean Womenlink emphasized “I hope the agendas for women will not be given in to other tasks. I hope the agendas for women can be realized.”

Participants in the ceremonies had a heart-stirring time on the two days in a row, awakening the importance of policies for women to the presidential candidates. The candidates also showed their wills to reflect and implement the policy tasks developed by KWWA.

However, although KWWA asked for his arrangement several times, Lee Myoung Bak, Grand National Party’s presidential candidate did not set up a schedule for KWWA’s policy tasks-presenting ceremony.

Written by Han-Whang  Joo Yeon , KWWA