"Changing Male-Centered Political Culture" Kim Sang-hee Challenges to Become National Assembly's First Female Deputy Speaker

Kim Sang-hee, Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Yeon-ju] Kim Sang-hee, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea representing Bucheon-si B, Gyeonggi Province, who is challenging to become the first female Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, emphasized on the 14th ahead of the party primary, "It is abnormal that no woman has ever participated in the Speaker's group in our constitutional history. Do not exclude women in this election."

Kim appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' on the same day and said, "South Korea has achieved significant economic and social development and its national status has greatly risen, but politically it remains backward. Women's political participation is lower than in any other country."

She pointed out, "There is still a public perception that politics is a 'male domain,' and the proportion of female lawmakers is 19%, which is very low on a global scale."

She emphasized the necessity of a female Deputy Speaker by saying, "When there are women in the Speaker's group, which symbolizes the political world, and they conduct meetings, the perception of politics changes."

Kim also mentioned former Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Mi-kyung and Minsheng Party lawmaker Cho Bae-sook, who previously challenged the Speaker's group. Lee ran in the 18th and 19th National Assemblies, and Cho ran in the 20th National Assembly but both were defeated. Regarding this, Kim argued that the failure of female lawmakers to be elected to the Speaker's group was not due to individual ability.

Kim analyzed, "The Speaker and Deputy Speaker are elected positions, so women are inevitably vulnerable in voting. Due to a male-dominated political culture and network culture, women have never participated for over 70 years."

She added, "There need to be women in the Speaker's group so that women's issues are properly addressed in the National Assembly and political circles. I want to play a role in changing the sexist political culture."

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