Developments and Characteristics of Gender Politics in South Korea: A Comparative Perspective

South Korea, as an East Asian model of economic prosperity and political democracy, can be regarded as a successful case in gender politics and gender institutionalization. Women’s problems have been effectively politicized and the country has rapidly progressed in the area of institutional developments related to women’s rights and equality over the last two decades. Korean women’s movements have played an important role in institutionalizing gender equality norms and women’s rights. However, institutionalization of the women’s movement has resulted in lagged gender empowerment and suppression of the feminist movement due to unintended or unanticipated consequences of de-radicalization of gender equality discourse and demobilization of the women’s movement. To revitalize gender politics, Korean women’s movements need to utilize all possible institutions and pressure the institutions into engaging with feminism.