Seoul, South Korea - In South Korea women are moving into positions of influence in culture, politics, and business. The Prime Minister is woman; the leader of the country's biggest opposition party is woman; there are a dozen members of the central parliament who are women. Korea will also soon have a female union leader if the current male leaders don't successfully restrain unruly workers.
What explains the steady empowerment of the fair sex who not too long ago had to walk five steps behind menfolk and never step on the shadow of their husbands? Industrialization.
Women's growing participation in the workforce was a shortcut to greater equality. But that's certainly not the only factor. Look at Japan for a counter-example. Despite full participation in the workforce, Japanese women have not achieved the same type of gender equality. They are even delaying their nuptial age to little success.
The key is societal education. Appreciation of women must come together with workforce participation. The mass media must work to sharpen the self-awareness of women. In the last four decades of industrialization in Asia, women in China and Korea have made spectacular advances. This should be a lesson to their sisters in Japan and Indonesia.
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