[vol.5] NEWS_ THE AMENDMENT OF THE LAW ON EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OF MEN AND WOMEN

THE AMENDMENT OF THE LAW ON EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OF MEN AND WOMEN The Law on Equal Employment of Men and Women(LEEMW), which prohibits sexual discrimination upon employment, wage, education, promotion, retiring age, dismissal, etc., was established in December 1987 as a campaign for the presidential election in a rush. Rally for revising equal employment law organized by KWWAU and trade unions In a joint of women organizations and law experts, there was a movement for amending the LWEMW and there was a overall amendment in April 1989. The main contents of the amendment were regarding to equal quantity of labour, equal wage, prohibition of sexual discrimination, and setting up the penalty in violation of maternity leave. However there have been constant questions upon the real fulfillment. Owing to the constant efforts of conscientization upon the equality, there was an another amendment in July 1996. The amendment states upon the looks which is nothing to do with work, the special requirement of physical size, sexual discrimination in terms of bonus, education, promotion, and working post, the discrimination caused by marriage, pregnancy, and child- birth, etc. are prohibited and the penalty is more strict. However the amended LWEMW, in spite of its improvements, has missed a key content which is indispensible for the realization of real equality. The indigent and direct discrimination towards women workers has changed to round about and indirect way. The recently introduced system of new personnel affairs and expand of irregular posts are in the light of it. There should be strict prohibition against indirect sexual discrimination. There are still various sexual abusements within the working places. The sexual abusement is a human violation against women workers and furthermore, it results the refusement of promotion, dismissals, and harm for employment that form bad atmosphere of working places. The ban of sexual abusement within the working places should be included in the LEEMW. The women and labour sectors have made a petition to the national congress but, there was no open forum upon the petition and just processed. The national congress turned away from the women workers' urgent proposal. Nowadays the workers unions and women organizations have worked out for reamendment of the LEEMW targeting the second half of 1995 national congress.