SUBSTANTIVE REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN SOUTH KOREA’S NATIONAL LEGISLATURE

Abstract

South Korea has been a stable multiparty democracy since 1987, featuring a unicameral parliament and a popularly elected presidential system. The Korean National Assembly and its 17 standing committees are the center of the nation’s legislative activities. The deliberation of bills takes place in these committees and if a bill passes the committee, in most cases it also passes at the plenary session. All women members of parliament (MP) interviewees in this study confirmed their past experiences and personal commitments influenced their motivation to run for election and shaped their policy interests as MP. In both the Gender Equality and Family Committee and the Health and Welfare Committee, women’s performance on bill proposal and sponsorship is higher than that of men. Women are not a monolithic group and gender is constructed through interacting with other inequalities. It is very rewarding in that the mandatory woman corporate director system has been a great motivator for women.