THE REPUBLIC OF

KOREA

Statement

H.E. Ms. Paik Kyung-nam

Chairperson

Presidential Commission on Women's Affairs

The twenty-third special session of the General Assembly

"Women 2000: Gender Equality, Development and

Peace for the twenty-first century"

5 June 2000

New York

Mr. President,

Distinguished delegates,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am deeply honored to be here today with leaders from around the world to reaffirm the commitment articulated in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and to forge further initiatives for the enhancement of the status of women in the 21st century.

According to Secretary-General's report, profound changes in the status and role of women have occurred since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. In most countries, the formulation, design and implementation of policy in nearly all sectors now include a gender approach. There have also been significant shifts in traditional gender stereotypes and negative attitudes towards women and girls in many countries.

Despite the progress of the last five years, however, many obstacles to gender equality remain, having a negative impact on women and impeding efforts to implement the Platform for Action. New challenges that were unforeseen at the time of the Beijing Conference have also appeared. My delegation therefore believes that this Special Session should be an occasion to demonstrate our determination to overcome these difficulties, and to reassert our commitment to the full implementation of the Platform for Action.

Mr. President,

Since the Beijing Conference, globalization has had a tremendous influence on the status and rights of women. Globalization has strengthened international cooperation and accelerated economic growth and social development. Nevertheless, an uneven distribution of its benefits has driven an even deeper wedge between rich and poor. Women have often been further marginalized, which has resulted in a feminization of poverty.

The negative consequences of globalization for women were all too palpable during Asia's recent financial crisis. For its part, the Government of the Republic of Korea took advantage of this crisis to strengthen policies for women. Embracing the spirit of Beijing, it initiated free vocational training for women, provided livelihood assistance for unemployed female heads of households and created new jobs for women. In order to protect women workers, it established a special channel to report cases of dismissal based on gender discrimination. My Government also initiated the "Internet Education for One Million Housewives Program," as well as the "Five-year Plan for Women's Human Resource Development for an Information-Intensive Society," to ensure that more women have access and can utilize information and communication technologies. To encourage women entrepreneurs in the ICT sector, it also passed the Women Entrepreneurs Assistance Act.

Mr. President,

Many forms of violence against women, including that associated with armed conflict, have also had a tremendous influence on women in recent years. My delegation believes that we cannot adequately protect women's rights without peace, and that women themselves can contribute to the peace process. In this regard, this Special Session should generate momentum for more women peacekeepers, special envoys and decision-makers involved in the entire peace process, from the pre-conflict stage to post-conflict reconstruction.

Along these lines, we expect that Korean women will play a constructive role with regard to the reconciliation process on the Korean Peninsula. We welcome the upcoming Inter-Korean Summit to be held from 12-14 June , 2000 in Pyongyang. As the first such meeting since the division of the Korean Peninsula half a century ago, the Summit meeting could constitute a historic turning point towards peace and cooperation between the two Koreas. Korean women indeed stand ready to do their part to facilitate this important process.

My Government has also put special emphasis on domestic violence against women. The Prevention of Domestic Violence Act and the Punishment of Domestic Violence Special Act were enacted to identify domestic violence as a crime, and to take the perpetrators to task. By far the Government's most significant achievement since Beijing, however, is heightened social awareness that domestic violence is no longer just a household problem, but a concern that must be addressed by society as a whole.

Mr. President,

Strong political will is a prerequisite for the full implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action. For this will to translate into meaningful action, however, women must achieve empowerment. True empowerment necessarily includes women's participation at decision-making levels in all sectors.

In this respect, my delegation is quite pleased that many women were elected to our National Assembly in last April's general election. As a complement to Government policies to empower women, civil groups and NGOs focusing on women's issues played a visible role in gender mainstreaming during that election. We are also pleased with the creation of a new Ministry of Women this year, which will strengthen the existing national mechanism for women's affairs, and elevate Government policies concerning women to a more prominent and coherent level.

Mr. President,

To facilitate our common goal of advancing the rights and status of women all over the world, let us accelerate the full implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action. For its part, the Republic of Korea will make every effort to expedite this important process.

Thank you.