Park pledges to help narrow the gender gap
President Park Geun-hye unfolds an orange scarf in support of gender equality and fairness yesterday at the 48th annual National Women’s Convention in COEX, southern Seoul. [NEWSIS]
“I think that to usher in a new era of national well-being, the role of women is more important than anything else,” she said in a speech in the presence of 1,500 guests at COEX in southern Seoul. “Women have always had three simultaneous roles in difficult times - mother, wife and worker - and sacrificed themselves to contribute to their households and the nation. In order to increase national competitiveness, it is necessary for women’s capabilities to be utilized.”
Park, the country’s first female president, pledged to continue improving workplace conditions for women, adding that she would focus on creating more jobs with flexible hours for working mothers. The government will also take the lead in rooting out “invisible barriers and discrimination against women,” she said.
Women account for only 1 percent of boardroom positions at listed companies, the lowest in Asia, according to a survey conducted last year by McKinsey.
BY SEO JI-EUN [spring@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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