The nation is anticipating the outcome of the first female president's promise to deliver a more equal society and empowerment of women and other minorities. Park Geun-hye, 60, has pledged to usher in "an era of people's happiness," and has included this principle in her key policy agenda. The new president has vowed to improve the quality of people's lives as many Koreans complain of society being too competitive and obsessed with economic growth.
Boosting social spending and creating quality jobs are her major commitments to bringing together the nation, which is divided by a widening economic gap, and along ideological, regional and generational fault lines. Her government will also focus on beefing up public security to combat what she describes as the "four social evils" of sexual violence, school violence, food-related crimes and crimes that destroy families.
Of all anticipated changes, greater empowerment of women is what many hope for from Park's leadership in a traditionally male-dominated society. Low economic and social participation of women has also been cited as one of the country's major economic weaknesses. To improve women's status, Park has promised to increase women's opportunities in education and employment and, most importantly, ease the burden of child care.
Park, who has taken many leadership roles in the country's male-dominated politics, also pledged to assign female figures to key government posts and to nurture female leaders in both the public and private sector. To break through the glass ceiling, Park plans to give preference to companies with a high proportion of women managers during state procurement biddings. Park also plans to expand the social safety net to a greater extent than former presidents.
Park's welfare plan is focused on selectively providing state benefits, but is tailored for all age groups with the stated aim of securing jobs and a stable income for people through all stages of life. Rather than offering welfare to all, her plan emphasizes lifting the socially underprivileged out of poverty that is often passed from generation to generation.