IMPROVING STATUS FOR WOMEN

<table id=cafe_editor_main_table_color bgColor='' cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 width=100%><tr><td id=cafe_editor_main_table class=text>People from advanced western countries who visit Korea for the first time are often shocked at the low status of women in Korea. Koreans themselves know that women here have a social standing inferior to men, but unless they've lived in a western country for a couple of years, they don't realize what makes it so noticeable to foreigners. Consider these facts: · Korean women still have limited occupational opportunities. Large corporations rarely hire women for high-level employment; instead, most women are hired as "office girls", who are expected to quit when they get married. · In divorce cases involving children, the children almost always go with the father, not the mother. · Most pregnant women who have abortions abort female fetuses, not male fetuses. · Women who don't get married before their late 20s are often called "old miss", a derogatory term, but there is no similar name for men who remain single. Although it may be a little time before Korean women are given the same status that women in the west have achieved for themselves, there are some signs that the society is beginning to change its attitude toward women. Here are a few of them: · Improved career opportunities. More and more women are joining the armed forces. Even the Air Force and Naval Academies now admit female cadets. Positions for women in the Korean military used to be limited to office or hospital staff, but that's changing. Women are now being trained even as helicopter or transport plane pilots. · More women in government. Today there are more Korean women in elected office than ever before. · More court cases decided in favor of women. Men are no longer the automatic winners of divorce cases. In a landmark case in 1995, a 33-year old woman was granted a divorce, child custody, and 30 million won in alimony payments from her philandering and gambling husband. As Koreans have grown more affluent and more in touch with the rest of the world, they are realizing that Korean thinking toward women is outdated and in need of a major overhaul. They also know that Korea can never be considered a really democratic society unless women are given more equality. Words and Phrases 1. Inferior to: lower than 2. Abortion: the unborn baby is killed and removed form the woman's body 3. Fetus: unborn baby 4. Derogatory: insulting, a bad-sounding name 5. Landmark: very important, the first one to happen 6. Child custody: care of the children (in a divorce case) 7. Alimony: The husband must pay this money to the wife, even after they are divorced; he must continue to support her and the children, even thought he doesn't live with them. 8. Philandering: sleeping with other women 9. Major overhaul: big change Questions for Discussion 1. Do you think that women are treated fairly in Korean society? Why or why not? 2. Are men and women really equal? Is it possible for a country to be considered democratic if the women do not have all the same rights as men? Why or why not? 3. Which statement do you agree with concerning retirement for working women? Explain your opinion. · Women should quit their jobs when they get married. · Women should quit their jobs only if they become pregnant. · Women should be able to work as long as men, with no limitations. 4. Which statement do you agree with regarding women's salaries? Explain why you think so. · If a woman does the same job as a man, she should receive the same salary. · Even if a woman does the same job as a man, she should receive a lower salary, since she doesn't need as much money. 5. Do you think there have been aaaaaany changes in women's rights in Korea during the past 15 or 20 years, or do you think nothing has really changed? Explain your opiion. 6. What do you think of women's rights movement? Do you think that they are needed, or are they unnecessary? Tell why you think so. 8. In cases of divorces involving children, which parent should take care of the children and why? · The wife, as in western countries. · The husband   영어이야기클럼에서 펌</tr></td></table>