"Yoon and Lee Both Judge Male Voter Support as Key to Victory... Foreign Media Focus on Misogyny in Korean Presidential Election"

Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate (left), and Yoon Seok-youl, the People Power Party presidential candidate. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Foreign media have reported that 'misogyny,' including the abolition of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, is receiving focused attention during South Korea's presidential election campaign.

On the 23rd, the Associated Press (AP) reported that both Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Yoon Seok-youl, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, view the male vote as key to winning the election and are striving to capture it by increasing messages targeting young men who criticize gender equality policies.

Candidate Yoon has advocated for the abolition of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the strengthening of punishments for false accusations related to sexual matters. Candidate Lee is taking a cautious approach to gender issues and has stated that the ministry will be maintained under a new name.

Regarding this trend, Hong Hee-jin, a 27-year-old office worker living in Seoul, said, "Women are being treated as if they have no voting rights at all," and pointed out, "Instead of genuine policies addressing the problems faced by the younger generation, they are inciting gender conflict by telling 'Idaenam' (men in their 20s) that 'women receive too many benefits, so you are struggling.'

AP reported, "South Korean women have made slow but steady progress in the workplace over the years. However, it has become apparent that such achievements are fragile in a closely contested presidential election."

It also presented overseas survey results related to gender inequality, such as South Korea ranking 102nd out of 156 countries in the World Economic Forum (WEF) index measuring gender gaps in employment, education, health, and political representation.

AP claimed, "Candidate Yoon is exploiting the anger of men in their 20s and 30s who face employment difficulties, housing shortages, and challenges in marriage and childbirth," adding, "(Young men) are becoming increasingly sensitive to competition with women."

It also introduced that "some experts believe that some middle-class South Korean men with college degrees, who must compete with women amid employment difficulties, have developed dissatisfaction with gender issues, and politicians are capitalizing on this."

Zakaria posted on his SNS a photo of the recent anti-feminism protest movement held in Korea, calling it "Korea's anti-feminism movement." / Photo by Farid Zakaria, Twitter capture

Meanwhile, on the 27th of last month, CNN also reported that anti-feminism claims emerging among some South Koreans and politicians are a "bizarre phenomenon."

At that time, the media reported in a broadcast titled "South Korea's Surprising Anti-Feminism Movement," hosted by Washington Post columnist Fareed Zakaria, that "a movement to advance men's rights is emerging among young South Koreans. This movement is gaining strength online and is growing with opportunistic courting by right-wing politicians."

Zakaria questioned, "According to a survey conducted in May, 79% of South Korean men in their 20s responded that they experience 'reverse discrimination.' Yet, as of 2020, South Korea has the largest gender wage gap among developed countries and only 5% of executives in listed companies are women. What on earth is happening?"

He continued, "South Korean men are feeling increasing pressure and anxiety amid limited resources and opportunities," and stated, "Many men are expressing 'misogyny' online and elsewhere. They describe women as 'feminazis' and feminism as a 'cancerous entity.' They also advocate for the abolition of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, which promotes women's equality."

Using footage of People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl, the report added, "The conservative party's presidential candidate has declared that he will abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family if elected."

Furthermore, it said, "While this may seem like a bizarre phenomenon unique to South Korean political culture, it is common for misogyny to be used as a factor that energizes right-wing politicians."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.