ISO: KOR
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The electronic version of this document has been prepared at the Fourth
World Conference on Women by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
in collaboration with the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women
Secretariat.
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AS WRITTEN


Address by Sohn Myoung Soon
First Lady of the Republic of Korea
at the Fourth United Nations
World Conference on Women

September 5, 1995


The Honorable UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali,
President Chen Muhua of the All-China Women's Federation,
Secretary General of the Conference Gertrude Mongella,
distinguished delegates from the governments here and abroad,
distinguished women leaders of the world,

 First of all, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to UN 
Secretary-General Boutros-Ghali and Secretary-General Gertrude Mongella 
of the Conference for their efforts in preparing the Fourth World 
Conference on Women and to the Chinese Government for the special 
invitation extended to me to attend this meeting. This year marks the 
50th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. It also marks 
the 50th anniversary of Korea's liberation and restoration of 
independence. I feel greatly honored to speak at this conference being 
held in Beijing, the capital city of Korea's longtime good neighbor 
China, in this profoundly meaningful year. During the past half century, 
the United Nations has made unceasing efforts to promote the peace and 
prosperity of humanity. Especially since the First World Conference 
on Women was held in 1975, many countries of the world have vigorously 
endeavored to enhance the development of women and to realize true gender
equality. Without gender equality, the development of women and
reconciliation and peace, there will be no bright future. 

As of today a great deal of progress has been made in enhancing the 
status and human rights of women. I would like to take this opportunity 
to pay my respect to the female leaders and the representatives of all 
of the private women organizations of the world for their remarkable 
contributions to that cause. I am very sure that this conference will 
prove r to be an epochal turning point in the further development of 
women k toward the forthcoming 21st century as desired and sought by 
women all over the world.

Delegates from across the world are gathered here today with the 
momentous task of reviewing the Forward-Looking Strategies toward the 
Year 2000 for the Advancement of Women taken up at the 1985 World 
Conference on Women in Nairobi and adopting action guidelines for the 
future development of women. Today, the end of the Cold War regime has 
brought the world all new possibilities for changing human civilization 
as we know it. Nevertheless, regional and ethnic disputes and conflicts, 
human rights violations, the repression of and discrimination against 
women and the abuse of natural resources still persist in many parts of 
the world. Moreover, the increasingly open world market system may 
possibly intensify competition among countries, which many fear will 
result in further inequality and alienation. This World Conference on 
Women, being held at this crucial juncture when the members of the 
global village must set up new common goals, is called upon to present a 
new blueprint for the development of human civilization.

 Prior to this Fourth World Conference on Women, several major 
international meetings including the UN Conference on Environment and 
Development, the World Conference on Human Rights, the International 
Conference on Population and Development, and the World Summit for 
Social Development have been held. All these meetings have convinced us 
that when the world situation is viewed from the perspective of women, 
possibilities for new development clearly exist.

Women should actively participate in all endeavors to overcome inequality
and repression, as well as negative cultural traits that are X destructive.
We need to promote close-knit cooperation and co-existence and to create a
peace-oriented culture. To do so, women must free themselves from poverty,
illiteracy and violence. Women must also strengthen their economic and
political capabilities.

In Korea, women's suffrage, labor rights, and the right to education became
guaranteed with the promulgation of the Constitution and the founding of the
Korean Government in 1948. I am proud of the fact that the Republic of Korea
has not only achieved remarkable economic growth and democratization, but
also made substantial progress in the field of women . 

Especially, in the belief that the expansion of education opportunities 
for women is a fundamental, long-term method to guarantee women their 
substantive equal rights, the Korean Government vigorously pushed a 
five-year pan-governmental campaign beginning in 1950 to eradicate 
illiteracy. As a result, the Republic of Korea now boasts one of the 
highest literacy rates in the world and a relatively high educational 
level among its female population. 

On the basis of this experience, the Korean Government, as it announced 
at the World Summit for Social Development, will exert special efforts 
to support the education and training of women in less developed 
countries. Starting in the early 1980s, the Korean Government revised 
women-related legislation and institutions in order to spur the 
development of women's capabilities and expand female participation in 
social development . 

The Office of the Second Minister of State for Political Affairs was 
created to be exclusively responsible for policies concerning women, 
while central and local administrative systems were also established to 
implement policies regarding women. In addition, the Family Act was 
revised, and an Gender Equality in Employment Act and an Infant and 
Child Care Act were newly enacted. More recently, a new law prohibiting 
the sexual harassment of women has been enacted to help eliminate 
violence against women. Just last July, our Republic and UNESCO jointly 
held an expert meeting on sexual violence against women, and thereby 
adopted the "Seoul Declaration" which is to be presented at this 
conference. Thus, our Republic is actively taking part in joint 
international endeavors to enhance the human rights of women. 

Since all these legislative and institutional measures for gender 
equality are only the first step toward realizing genuine equality, the 
Korean is also making increased efforts to remove gender discriminatory 
elements from school education and the mass media in order to change 
societal attitudes and uphold gender equality. Recently, our Government, 
in line with its segyehwa, or globalization, policy designed to raise 
the quality of life in Korea to that of an advanced nation enjoying a 
high level of welfare, has been placing emphasis on expanding child-care 
facilities to encourage women's participation in society, broadening 
employment opportunities for women and promoting female participation in 
political activities . 

After the end of the Cold War, the need for all of us to make joint 
efforts to address the common problems of humanity in order to build a 
global village of peace and prosperity is more urgent than ever before. 
Women's issues are no exception. The Republic of Korea, aware of the 
importance of international cooperation in dealing with the problems 
involving women, has set up a channel of international collaboration to 
be operated through the soon-to-be-established "Common Forum for Women." 
This Forum will be utilized as an open conduit through which women of 
not only the Asia-Pacific region, but also all regions of the world can 
work together to promote the development of women through regional and 
international cooperation. 

Delegates from all the participating countries, 

Today, the civilization that humanity has developed so arduously is 
facing a crucial challenge. This challenge stems from a pattern of 
production and consumption that lopsidedly emphasizes material values 
and a pattern of development that disregards environmental protection 
and misuses the knowledge of science and technology. 

As we face the advent of the 21st century, women should join hands and 
launch a movement to preserve the sound family system, build a healthy 
society and protect the natural environment. By doing so, let us build a 
genuine community where we, based on a future-oriented philosophy and an 
ideal world view embracing neighborly love and genuine peace, can all 
enjoy our lives. 

In China, there is an old saying that women comprise half the gift of 
heaven. As such, women have the potential to be the new source of power 
needed to restore the health of the world's polluted environment. We 
women of the world, who are all sisters within the global village, will 
be a leading force in building the future in the upcoming 21st century. 

I believe that positive support on the part of governments for the 
development of women will produce more substantial and lasting fruit 
than investment in any other sector. 

The women of Asia, including Korea, whose ages-old histories have taught 
them the wisdom of harmony between humanity and nature, will work hand 
in hand with women in all other regions of the world to build a happy 
global village. 

I hope that the Fourth World Conference on Women, devoted to the 
promotion of equality, development and peace through vigorous dialogue 
and the exchange of friendship, will prove to be a great success. I also 
hope that this conference will serve as a principal catalyst for 
bridging any remaining rifts that divide the families of the global 
village. 

I wish all of you, the leaders of the women of the world, good luck 
throughout this conference and in the future. 

Thank you.