The increase in non-prosecuted cases is due to the introduction of the called “John School”. The educational programs of the John School include topics such as  purchasing sex: crime and human rights infringement  testimonies of women who left prostitution  self-control and rules for alternative thinking and behavior  role plays (8 hours per day). According to a survey on men who finished the John School program (2006), there were significant changes in their perceptions on the harm of prostitution, their perceptions on whether women work in prostitution voluntarily or not and their criticism on those related to prostitution.

Under the Research on Prostitution by Foreign Women (2003), a survey by questionnaire was conducted on 195 women working in entertainment establishments (clubs, bars, etc.) within Korea, out of which 32 women were also interviewed face-to-face.

•The survey was designed to find out: reasons behind the inflow of foreign women working in prostitution into Korea; route to Korea and assignments to entertainment establishments; type of employment and working conditions in the establishment, etc.

•According to the survey, women from the former Soviet Union (45 per cent) and the Philippines (54 per cent) accounted for the dominant majority. Women from China (including Korean-Chinese), Vietnam and Thailand accounted for a small portion. Among the 195 respondents of the survey, 90.9 per cent received the E-6 (art and entertainment) visa. Only 8.0 per cent received tourist or short-term visitor visas.

-188 out of 195 women responded to questions asking the type of service provided to guests (respondents allowed to give multiple answers). 33.5 per cent said they are offering sexual services such as prostitution. Other responses include chatting, dancing and drinking with the guest (7.18 per cent), serving as waitresses (58.0 per cent ), working as dancers (43.1 per cent), singers (15.4 per cent) and musical instrument performers (1.6 per cent).

•The research recommended countermeasures including, improving the E-6 visa issuance system, upgrading the supervision system for foreign women working in the entertainment establishments (clubs, bars, etc.), setting up protection and support centers for foreign women victimized by forced prostitution and raising public awareness specifically targeting potential buyers of prostitution-related services.

The government adopted the recommendations from the Research and included them in the Comprehensive Action Plan to Prevent Prostitution.

•No more E-6 visa issuance for female dancers from abroad, more stringent entry examinations at airports and ports and stricter supervision of companies that hire and provide foreign women entertainers.

•To support foreign women who suffered from prostitution and associated acts, support centers for foreign women have been established since 2003. In 2003, the E-6 visa holders accounted for the majority of the users, while most of the recent users are women migrants married to Korean men. (Refer to Table 7)

•In addition, the Task Force to Monitor the Implementation of the Prostitution Prevention Measures has been launched (November 2004). This Task Force is co-headed by the deputy minister of the MOGEF and public policy coordinator at the Office for Government Policy Coordination of the Prime Minister’s Office. The members of the Task Force are consisted of director generals from 14 central government bodies including the Ministry of Justice, the National Police Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Task Force has held a total of 12 meetings and is actively working.

•Initiatives are underway to cultivate healthy and sound cultures regarding sexuality. Activities are being undertaken to correct misleading perceptions on prostitution through various campaigns. Educational programs to prevent prostitution are provided to students, soldiers, members of the reserve army and civil defense army.

Question 9

In the late 1990s, ‘Wonjokyoje’ through which adolescent girls engage in a sexual relationship with older men for money became a social issue. This resulted in the enactment of the Act on Protection of Youth from Sexual Exploitation (promulgated on 14 January 2000 and enforced on 1 July 2000).

•One of the major contents in this Act is disclosing personal identification information of sex offenders who were engaged in sexual acts with teenagers. This policy has sent a strong message to the public that engaging in sex with teenagers is the most heinous act of infringing the rights of teenagers, a vulnerable group. The list of personal identification information was first disclosed to the public online in August 2001, and a total of 5,651 offenders were posted on websites.

•Since November 2003, among suspects under inspection to determine disclosure of personal identification details, an education program to prevent re-occurrence was provided to those with a low risk of re-committing crime (1,106 people). The rate of re-occurrence for sex criminals in general is from 11 per cent to 16 per cent, whereas the re-occurrence rate for those who completed the program to date is below 0.1 per cent. This indicates the effectiveness of this program. This program will be dramatically expanded after legal revisions.

•In July 2006, in addition to punishing those adults who purchase sex, treatment and rehabilitation program for teenagers has been started. 94 teenagers who were ordered to take the course by prosecutors or were directed by police received the training. This signifies the efforts to keep these teenagers away from sexual exploitation and to help them grow up as healthy members of society.

Question 10

The Five-Year Plan for Expansion of Women Managers in Public Positions has been pursued by the central government. As a result, the ratio of women in higher-ranking government posts in rank 5 and above was increased from 4.8 per cent in 2001, the first year of the Plan, to 9.6 per cent in 2006, which is an increase of more than two-fold and close to the set target of 10 per cent.

•As a temporary special measure to raise the proportion of women in higher-ranking, decision-making positions in the government, the Five-Year Plan for Expansion of Women Managers in Public Positions in Rank 4 and above (2007-2011) has begun this year. According to this plan, the ratio of women in higher-ranking posts in Rank 4 and above is to be increased from 5.4 per cent in 2006 to 10 per cent by 2011. (Refer to Table 8)

In the local governments, the ratio of women in posts in the 5th rank and above was 5.9 per cent in 2005 (1,036 women), which is lower than that of the central government.

•To develop a base for a higher number of women officials in positions above rank 5 in the local governments, which currently follows the internal promotion track, the Employment Initiative of Women Officials above Rank 6 of Local Governments has been adopted in 2007. The ratio of women officials in rank 6 and above, will be increased from 10.2 per cent in 2006 to over 16.5 per cent by 2011 (9.6 per cent target for posts above rank 5, 18.8 per cent target for posts above rank 6). (Refer to Table 9)

•To ensure a higher number of women officials at the levels of director, director general and team head with decision-making power, the government made it compulsory to appoint more than one woman director or director general in accordance with the Human Resources Management Guidelines for Women Public Officers in the Local Governments. The local governments that fail to reach this target are continuously advised to appoint women officials, through a regular monitoring mechanism of evaluation and assessment of the local governments.

The National Human Rights Commission has conducted a commissioned research on the placement of women public officials and discriminations in promotion (glass walls and glass ceilings). The study includes ratio of women officials per position, status of promotion, forms of discrimination in promotion and mechanisms behind discrimination (internal human resource management and other practices). On 2 May 2007, officials and specialists from relevant ministries and organizations (the Civil Service Commission, the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs, the Korean Government Employees’ Union and Women’s Associations) were invited to a public forum to discuss related issues and relevant policies.

Question 11

The low participation rate of women in the decision-making process in government ministries is due to the low ratio of female officials in positions above rank 5 in the past. The Korean government has strived to increase the disproportionately low representation of women in the public arena.

•Following the Equal Employment Initiative for Women (1996-2002)(refer to Table 10 and Table 11), the Equal Employment Initiative for Gender (2003-2007) is currently effective. To expand participation of women in decision-making processes, the Five-Year Plan for Expansion of Women Managers in Public Positions above Rank 4 (2007-2011) is currently being implemented.

•As of late 2006, the ratio of female public officials in posts above rank 5 is 9.6 per cent.

-In diplomatic posts, the ratio of women above rank 5 is over 10.5 per cent and the number of women in high-ranking positions above director level is 12, with an increasing rate of participation of women in the decision-making processes.

-The Ministry of Justice, according to its 2007 Human Resources Management Plan, is planning to  increase the share of women in managerial positions above rank 4 from 2.9 per cent to 3.6 per cent  announce the policy of giving priority to women in new recruitment, contract positions and open-employment positions, and to give priority to a woman if a male and female applicant are of the same qualifications.

•The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family is further pushing for plans to raise the participation rate of women in various government committees to 40 per cent by 2007. (Refer to Table 12)

Question 12

Since 2002, the following legal mechanisms were introduced to increase women’s participation in politics.

•When a political party nominates candidates for the proportional representation of the National Assembly (56 out of the total seats of 299) and of the Local Councils (453 out of the total seats of 3,173), more than 50 per cent must be women. In the party list of candidates, every odd number must be allocated to a woman. If violated, the registration becomes invalid according to Article 47 and Article 52 of the Act on Elections for Public Offices.

•When a political party nominates candidates for regional seats the National Assembly or the Local Councils, more than 30 per cent must be women (violation is not punished with cancellation of registration, according to Article 47 and Article 52 of the Act on Elections for Public Offices).

•To promote women’s participation in politics, incentives are given to the political parties. Depending on the proportion of women candidates in the general election for both the National Assembly and the Provincial and City Councils, subsidies are granted to the political parties (Article 26 of the Political Fund Act).

•All political parties are obliged to spend 10 per cent of the general subsidies from the state for women’s political participation (subject to penalties under Article 28 and Article 47 of the Political Fund Act).

The results of such legal mechanisms and comparisons between local elections of 2002 and 2006 are presented as follows: the number of women elected as heads of local government bodies has increased from 2 (0.9 per cent) to 3 (1.3 per cent); the number of women elected as members of the Regional Councils (Metropolitan and provincial levels) from 66 (9.6 per cent) to 89 (12.1 per cent); the number of women elected to the Basic Unit Councils (city/county/district levels) from 79 (2.2 per cent) to 436 (15.1 per cent).

The requirement that 10 per cent of subsidies to political parties must be used for women’s advancement is showing results. Each party is running its own women’s leadership center and/or women’s power networks, as well as providing various training programs such as leadership training for women, education for next generation leaders, courses for women candidates for publicly elected positions and strengthening the awareness of women’s political participation in various regions of the country.

Question 13

Sex ratio at birth is calculated per regional districts (dong, eup, myun). Therefore, the rate does not distinguish between urban and rural areas. However, statistical data from the past seven years indicate that the imbalance in the sex ratio is decreasing. For the third and fourth children, however, the imbalance is decreasing, but the gap itself is still high (Refer to Table 13).

The government eradicated the family head system, which was a fundamental source for boy preference by enforcing the paternal or male bloodline (March 2005).

•Since 2004, the ‘Gender Equal Education Program per Life Cycle’ that is customized for each age group ranging from toddlers to seniors has been developed and implemented. Up until 2006, training has been offered to age groups from toddlers to teenagers (approximately 4,000 people). From this year, targets of the training program are expanded to include senior citizens, college students and adults as well.

•Sex discretion tests of the fetus is strictly prohibited. Just one act of violation may cause the medical professional to be subject to criminal penalties or administrative punishments such as cancellation of doctor’s license.

The licenses of four doctors and four nurses were cancelled during 2001-2005 due to performing fetal sex tests, accounting for 0.5 per cent of 1,547 medical professionals that received administrative punishments due to breach of the medical law.

Question 14

Textbook alterations in the current national curriculum are specified below.

History

More women featured as historical figures (subject of ‘social studies’ for elementary schools) 6th Educational Curricula: 3 out of 100 figures 7th Educational Curricula: 6 out of 100 figures Presented a female role model of active participation in the society rather than the traditional model of ‘wise and caring mother and wife’ (subject of ‘social studies’ for elementary schools) Female soldier in a civilian army named Hee-soon Yoon is newly introduced as a historical figure Description that women’s social status during the Koryo Dynasty was equal to that of men (subject of ‘Korean history’ for high schools) Consistently included in the 6th and 7th curricula

Math and Science

Provided teaching guidelines for female-friendly math and science classes to apply the experience and perspectives of women to curricula and teachings Set guidelines to write textbooks without any bias or prejudice against male and female roles (example: roles in the workplace and home) Included guidelines to check contents related to gender equality when evaluating science textbooks from inter-disciplinary evaluation standards Introduced female scientist (Madame Curie) in high school science textbooks. Out of 54 photos featuring people, 25 photos show women carrying out science experiments.

There is a limited opportunity to feature women in history textbooks because very few women appear in historical records. However, the efforts are underway to include more women from the modern and contemporary era, which will eventually lead to the increase in the proportion of women in the textbook.

•A qualitatively different female role models, not a mere introduction of famous women, will be searched and presented as a more active and participatory female role models.

Question 15

The statistical data quoted in this question are the ratio of students enrolled at institutions of higher education out of the entire age group, not the ratio of students advancing into the next level of further education among the total graduates. It is Korea’s unique practice that almost every male college student goes through mandatory military service while enrolled at college. When calculating the ratio, these male students serving their compulsory military service are considered to be enrolled at colleges and universities. Therefore, the male enrolment rate at an educational institution is much higher, resulting in a possibly misleading statistic that seems to indicate a serious educational gap between the sexes.

If we refer to the ratio of advancing from high school to college (junior colleges, teacher’s colleges and 4-year universities), the difference between men and women has reached a minimal degree. In 2006, the gap was 1.8 per cent (81.1 per cent for women, 82.9 per cent for men), down from 5.0 per cent (65.4 per cent for women, 70.4 per cent for men) in 2000. (Refer to Table 14)

Question 16

Article 8 of Equal Employment Act outlaws discrimination in compensation levels based on the rule of equal pay for work of equal value. There is punishment in case of violations.

•To ensure implementation of the policy, the government is monitoring and supervising actual practices of equal employment. In 2006, out of a total of 1,713 businesses across the country, 184 cases breaching the rule were identified and necessary actions were taken.

With an aim to guarantee equal rights for women in private and public sectors, an Affirmative Action Plan to improve employment practices has been implemented since 1 March 2006. This applies to state-owned companies, government-affiliated organizations and private companies with over 1,000 regular employees. In 2007, 617 companies are obligated to abide by this action (546 companies in 2006). After 1 March 2008, the scope of companies under this rule will be expanded to businesses with regular employees exceeding 500.

Affirmative Action Plan: A policy that stipulates that companies whose women employment ratio and women manager ratio are less than 60 per cent of the comparison group’s average must complete and submit affirmative action implementation plans and performance reports to the government.

Target women employment rate: 30.8 per cent (2006)⇒37 per cent (2010), target rate for women manager employment: 10.2 per cent (2006)⇒ 14 per cent (2010)

•From this year, the Gender Equality Initiative and the Expansion of Women Managers in Public Positions Initiative must be applied for open competition-based employment in state-owned companies and government-related organizations. In addition, women must take up over 30 per cent of the outside board members in these public companies and organizations.

To remove sexually discriminatory employment practices and advertisements, the government is regularly conducting intensive supervision and monitoring for companies with practices that violate gender equality rules. The government also monitors, supervises and guides online job advertisements (results of 2006 supervision and guidance: 184 anti-discrimination rule violations).

•As part of initiatives to promote non-discriminatory employment practices, standardized form of curriculum vitae, standardized interview guidelines and checklists for equal employment will be published and disseminated (within 2007).

Question 17

In 2006, female salaried workers were 6.44 million, 42.7 per cent of whom were irregular employees, which represents a 1.0 per cent decrease from 43.7 per cent in 2004. (Refer to Table 15)

•According to analysis using 2005 data from the Korea National Statistical Office, the average monthly salary for female irregular workers is 880 thousand won. This is 40 per cent of the salary for male regular employees (2.19 million won), 62 per cent of that of the male irregular employees (1.37 million won) and 65.5 per cent of that of the female regular employees (1.33 million won). In terms of social security and insurance, about 30 per cent of female irregular employees are enrolled in national pension and health insurance. About 28 per cent of these women are enrolled in employment insurances.

In an effort to improve the employment situations for the entire irregular workers including women, the government is taking the following measures:

•Through the Comprehensive Measures for Public Sector Irregular Workers (August 2006), contract-based employees in the public sector who have constantly renewed contracts are shifted to permanent status at phased intervals. Other initiatives include improving the working conditions of low-wage workers and refraining from excessive outsourcing.

•With the Comprehensive Plan to Improve Employment of Irregular Workers (September 2006) in place, the government is trying to improve the situations of irregular employees.

•Through the Act on Protection for Temporary and Part-Time Workers (November 2006), the entire period of employment for temporary employees is limited to 3 years. If an employee is hired as a temporary employee for more than 2 years, it is compulsory to consider this employee as having entered into a permanent contract. This is to avoid continuous renewal of contracts for temporary employment.

•To address job insecurity that arise when business proprietors avoid renewing contracts with a temporary female employee after childbirth, the Policy of Subsidies for Continued Employment after Childbirth has been adopted (entered into effect on 1 July 2006 following clause 5 of Article 22 in the Employment Insurance Act Enforcement Decree). In 2006, 13 million won was granted to 8 businesses, and 9 temporary employees were changed to regular employee status.

Policy of Subsidies for Continued Employment after Childbirth: A policy to fund business proprietors that renewed contracts with temporary workers whose contracts terminated during prenatal or postnatal leave or during pregnancy. The purpose is to sustain job stability for female temporary employees (Monthly subsidy of 400 thousand won for 6 months. 600 thousand won if employee is changed to permanent status).

•For a higher social insurance subscription rate, the standard for charging employment insurance payment will be changed from total amount of income to a portion of income subject to taxation. In addition, the payment method will be shifted from voluntary subscription to payment with notification. This will facilitate information sharing between institutions.

Question 18

In a recent survey (March 2007), the highest percentage of respondents identified childcare concerns as a major obstacle to female employment in Korea (59.8 per cent of respondents). This implies that strengthening childcare support will generate higher female participation in the labor market.

•Since 2000, in an attempt to strengthen maternity protection, the government has extended the prenatal and postnatal leave from 60 days to 90 days and has subsidized maternity leave payments through social insurance. The subsidies for parental leave began in 2001 and the amount of subsidies went up from 200 thousand won per month (2001) to 500 thousand won per month (2007). Companies granting parental leave are provided with subsidies since 1995.

These efforts helped to raise the rate of women’s economic participation gradually. As of 2006, the rate stands at 50.3 per cent (age 15 and above). The M-curve phenomenon or halts in a women’s career caused by childbirth still remains but this is gradually improving.

Female economic participation rate (age 15 and above, per cent): 48.4 (2000) → 49.8 (2002) → 49.9 (2004) → 50.3 (2006)

Female economic participation rate (age 15 ~ 64, per cent): 52.0 (2000) → 53.5 (2002) → 54.1 (2004) → 54.8 (2006)

Question 19

A ‘certain level’ refers to a state in which the female employment ratio and the female manager ratio are less than 60 per cent of the average of similar-sized companies in the same industry. Business proprietors below this level must submit an employment improvement plan.

The Affirmative Action policy effective since 1 March 2006 is composed of four stages. Stage 1 is the reporting of male and female employees’ status (late May of each year). Stage 2 is the completion of implementation plans (October 15 of each year). Stage 3 is the submission of implementation result reports (October 15 of the following year). Stage 4 is the evaluation of plans and result reports and the awarding of companies with good performance. We have currently finished up to stage 2. The number of businesses subject to this policy was 546 as of 2006 and is 617 as of 2007.

•It is difficult to pinpoint this policy’s impact on female employment at present. However, stage 1 or the analysis of male and female employees’ status enabled us to have an accurate understanding of female employment in the Korean labor market. Furthermore, corporations have a chance to examine the status of their female employment compared with other companies in the same industry. They may also outline plans to improve their employment practices. These have served as a momentum to increase the female employment ratio.

Question 20

The maternal and infant mortality rates of the past 6 years are indicated in the tables (Refer to Table 16, Table 17 and Table 18).

Question 21

Through the public healthcare centers nationwide, tailored sex education and family planning and other relevant information are provided to people by age groups or by sex, such as children, teenagers, newlyweds, adults and seniors.

The government is supporting the Planned Population Federation of Korea, a civil association which provides the following services: providing teenage sex education and counseling on sexual problems through a website (www.yline.re.kr); developing teenage sex education materials to be used for youths in protection and probation facilities or shelters; developing and distributing sex education material for teenagers with disabilities.

With an aim to prevent induced abortion, manuals, booklets and video clips with customized content including how to avoid abortions, possible complications from abortions, and contraceptive measures are developed and distributed to high schools, universities and public healthcare centers.

2,500 manuals, 25,000 booklets, 700 video clips and 1,500 CDs

A portal site (www.aga-love.org) focused on pregnancy, childbirth and childcare offers comprehensive information on the reproductive health of women in childbearing ages (ages 15 to 49).

Question 22

Korea’s HIV infection rate is very low, standing at below 0.1 per cent. Those infected with HIV/AIDS are predominantly male and HIV/AIDS prevalence in women is not a serious issue.

The Korean government currently operates a financing policy for those who contracted HIV/AIDS. These include covering treatment costs for those infected, counseling for patients undergoing treatment in medical institutions, supporting shelters for HIV positive people, and extending financial support to infected individuals by designating them as recipients of the government’s basic livelihood security subsidies.

•A separate shelter for women is in operation. It provides food, accommodation, counseling and other supports for self-sufficiency of infected individuals. For pregnant women who have contracted HIV, necessary services are provided during childbirth, postnatal care, childcare and health management.

•Female contractors of HIV can receive disease-related information and counseling on sex, marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, medications and medicine intake through the help of medical institutions.

Question 23

Our policies to support rural women have successfully relieved the burden of childcare from women farmers and helped them to concentrate on agricultural business management. The supports include providing a helper to rural households with childbirth, operating Women Farmers’ Centers, and providing childcare subsidies for rural households.

The helper system for rural households with newborns is designed to subsidize a partial amount (80 per cent) of the helper fee if the female farmer must be temporarily off work due to childbirth. This policy was adopted in 2000. The scope of eligibility for this support was expanded to include rural communities in the whole country in 2003. In 2006, 3,800 farming households received subsidies in the amount of 1.5 billion won. This policy has greatly contributed to enhancing agricultural productivity as well as maternity protection (Refer to Table 19).

The Women Farmers’ Center is a social welfare and community center with various programs on culture and children’s education. A total of 38 centers are currently in operation nationwide (Refer to Table 20).

In an attempt to effectively respond to the aging and decreasing population in rural areas, the Initiative for Infant and Toddler Care Expense Subsidies for Rural Population was introduced in 2004 with the goal of supporting infant and toddler care for farming households.

•In 2006, with a budget of 44.4 billion won, 330 thousand children were beneficiaries of subsidies that were equivalent to 50 per cent of the government’s childcare subsidies per child (100 per cent for five-year-olds). The eligibility was extended to owners of farmland that is less than 5.0ha in size. This has enabled most rural women to receive childcare support.

•In 2007, with a budget of 53.6 billion won, the amount of subsidies per rural child went up to 70 per cent of the government’s childcare subsidies (100 per cent for five-year-olds).

•Since 2006, the Support Initiative to Extend Help to Rural Women has been introduced, extending childcare expense subsidies to rural women with infants or toddlers but who cannot use childcare facilities (Refer to Table 21).

Question 24

Women farmers account for 51.2 per cent of the rural population. However, their farmland ownership ratio is meager and women’s work for the family farming business is usually unpaid. Therefore, the government is implementing policies to raise the occupational status of women farmers and to help them become rural business owners.

•The government is supporting the dissemination of the Rural Household Management Agreement that clarifies roles, responsibilities and payments for family farm owners and family members working on the family farm. Since 2006, training sessions for the Rural Household Management Agreement are being held for married couples in rural areas. In 2006, an increased number of 73 rural households signed the Agreement (2 rural households in 2004 → 17 rural households in 2005 → 73 households in 2006).

•Future policy initiatives include improving the legal status of female farmers, such as by certifying a rural woman as a farmer if she is proven to be actually engaged in farming. In addition, the government will support the efforts of women’s organizations to ensure female farmers to have joint-ownership of farmland acquired after marriage, since the joint-ownership will help enhance the status of rural women.

To cultivate female farmers, women are selected with priority within the range of 20 per cent in the programs such as Agricultural Successors Support Initiative, Agricultural Intern Policy, Guardianship System for Agricultural Business Starters, and Training for College Student for Agricultural Business Start-Up. Other policies that are under review include choosing with priority and offering special advantage and support for married couples starting up their own agricultural business or married couples who were selected as agricultural leaders (Refer to Table 22).

•Women applicants are selected with priority for leadership programs for the cause of rural area development. The Agricultural Training Institute offers the Female Rural Tourism Leader Course, which provides training for rural women to become agricultural instructors who will help the public ‘experience the farm’.

•Financial supports are given to women’s agricultural organizations for their educational programs to enhance agricultural technology and leadership of rural women. Research activities and urban and rural exchange programs led by women’s agricultural associations and consumer groups are also supported by state funds. (Refer to Table 23)

To incorporate female farmers’ views in the policy planning stage, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and agriculture-related committees in the local governments intend to increase the proportion of women members to 33 per cent and 22 per cent, respectively, in 2006. The target for female members in cooperatives is over 30 per cent.

Since 2007, the Support Initiative for Rural Married Migrant Women is underway, providing helpers for foreign women for their effective resettlement into rural households in Korea.

Question 25

Statistics on migrant women and girls (Refer to Table 24)

•Although it is difficult to provide the exact statistics on the distribution of occupations of foreign women, an estimation can be drawn based on visa issuance excluding non-working E-9 visas. (Refer to Table 25)

Measures to protect migrant women and girls include: establishment of a nationwide network of 3,000 women who migrated upon marriage, by nationality and region (July 2006); easing the conditions to prove that the dissolution of marriage was attributable to other party as well as easing the personal reference; human rights protection measures such as the Policy for Pre-Marital Interview to prevent deceptive or fake marriages; inspection on the status of arts and entertainment visa holders, inspection on operations of performance management companies and tightening evaluations (2006); temporary suspension of deportation order or confinement in protection facility if such acts may cause irrecoverable damage to property, life or physical state of the foreign women; publication of a handbook entitled “A Brighter World with No Prostitution-Reaching for Dreams” by the joint efforts of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and dissemination of the handbook through the Immigration Bureau website.

Since August 2004, the Korean government has started the Employment Permit System that grants a work permit to foreign workers for jobs that require simple skills when the business proprietor was unable to find Korean nationals willing to work. The following measures are in effect to provide remedies for migrant workers whose rights were infringed by delayed payments and other unfair acts (applied to both male and female workers).

•The Ministry of Labor’s Job Centers (85 offices nationwide) and comprehensive counseling centers are offering services such as addressing complaints and providing language support and counseling.

•Violations of the Labor Standards Act such as non-payment of salaries or retirement benefits, physical violence by business proprietors or managers, non-compliance of working hours or forced labor are addressed by the Labor Inspection Division of the Ministry of Labor (46 offices nationwide). This may include legal actions.

In 2005, 1,848 complaints were filed to the Ministry of Labor offices by foreign workers, 1,377 cases were closed with administrative measures and 685 cases went through legal action. In 2006, 1,860 cases were filed, 1186 cases were closed with administrative measures and 610 cases went through legal action (most related to monetary issues).

•Regarding violations of the Act for Industrial Safety and Health, the Ministry of Labor’s Industrial Safety Division (46 offices nationwide) handles issues in safety and health in the workplace (legal actions included).

•The Ministry of Labor’s Job Centers (85 offices nationwide) conduct employment management activities such as permitting workplace changes for foreign workers, and receiving reports of employment status changes of foreign workers (death, injury, change of workplace). They also provide counseling to foreign workers and receive their complaints during employment.

•Unfair lay-offs, unfair change of workplace, and imposition of unfair labor are handled by the Labor Relations Commissions (12 offices nationwide). Other channels including HRD KOREA and various support centers for migrant workers are also providing counseling and managing complaints.

•Insurance programs specially designed for foreign workers are in the process of implementation. The rights of migrant workers regarding delayed payments or non-payments, injuries and damages are protected at the same level as Koreans regardless of their residence status.

The National Human Rights Commission is also providing remedies for civil rights violations and discrimination against migrant women and their children, as well as policy recommendations to the government.

Question 26

Major changes regarding the family head system in the amended Civil Act include the following:

•The previous provisions on the family head system and provisions on official registration as a family member, recovery of registration, creation of a new family or a branch family which were based on the family head system were all abolished. The definition of family as a unit composed of the family head and other members has changed (Articles 778, 780, 782-796 of the previous Civil Act were deleted; Article 779).

•In the revised Civil Act, in principle, a child’s family name and family origin follow those of the father, but when the parents agree at the point of marriage registration, a child may be given the family name and family origin of the mother (Article 781).

•When it is necessary to change the child’s family name and family origin for the interests and welfare of the child, they may be changed by the court’s permission upon the request of the father or the mother, etc. (Article 781).

•The prohibition of marriage between a man and a woman with the same-clan origin was lifted. Instead, a new limitation to marriage among relatives is set up to the third degree cousins, applying to both paternal and maternal lineages (Article 809).

•Relationship between parents and an adopted child is considered as same as natural parent-child relationship, and all previously established kinship relations are terminated. The adopted child would follow the adoptive parents’ family name (Article 908).

Awareness campaigns were held to introduce amendments to the Civil Act and eradication of the family head system. In addition, various public awareness campaigns were held to correct behaviors and stereotypes that discriminate against women.

•Actions taken between 2004 and 2006 encompass the following: nationwide television broadcasting of a focused program on problems with the family head system and expected changes in the family culture after eliminating the family head system; publishing and distributing material on ‘changes after family head system is gone’; publishing and distributing 1,000 copies of the white-paper on elimination of the family head system; radio campaigns to promote awareness on different forms of family. This year, in cooperation with some NGOs, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family is planning public awareness-raising and education programs on the revised Civil Act and the new Personal Registration System.

Question 27

In accordance with Article 1 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Article 16 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and General Recommendation No. 21 of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family has submitted on 7 November 2006 to the National Assembly an amendment to the Civil Act that adjusts the legal age for engagement or marriage to 18 years for both men and women. The bill is currently pending at the National Assembly.

Question 28

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued a press release (16 January 2007) just before the Optional Protocol to CEDAW entered into effect in Korea (18 January 2007). The Optional Protocol was posted to the website (Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade) and made accessible to the general public.

The National Human Rights Commission held a public forum on 12 January 2007 to identify concrete ways for better implementation of the Optional Protocol.

•Experts including Dr. Hei-soo Shin, a member of CEDAW, gave presentations, and officials from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the judiciary, the National Assembly, the Korea Women’s Associations United and the Korean Women’s Development Institute participated as discussants. The program included an overview of the CEDAW Optional Protocol, a review of domestic laws and regulations and discussions on the legal effectiveness and how to use the individual communication procedure. A publication which was distributed to about 100 participants in the Forum contained not only presentations but also the translated version of the decisions of the CEDAW Committee regarding the individual communications and the inquiry conducted on Mexico.

Annex

￭ Table 1 Sexual Aggression and Crime Cases ( ‘ 03 - ‘ 06 / National Police Agency)

Year	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
Total Number of Cases	11,587	12,511	14,089	13,446	15,326
Increase from Previous Year	-	7.9 per cent	12.6 per cent	4.6 per cent	13.9 per cent

￭ Table 2 Support Facilities and Counseling Centers for Victims of Forced Prostitution and Services Offered (as of late March 2007)

Type of Facility	Number of Facilities	Services Offered
General Support Facilities	26	Provision of room and board, counseling, health treatment and recovery, legal assistance, medical support including disease treatment, support to recover financial credibility, training for rehabilitation and independence
Teenager Support Facilities	15	Provision of room and board, counseling, health treatment and recovery, legal assistance, medical support including disease treatment, training for rehabilitation and independence, education for further schooling, helping entry into educational institutions and support to recover financial credibility
Rehabilitation Support Centers	4	Running rehabilitation communities, vocational and technical training, information offering for employment or start-up of own business, support to recover financial credibility
Foreigner Support Facilities	3	Provision of room and board, counseling, health treatment and recovery, legal assistance, medical support including disease treatment, support to return to native country
"Group homes"	5	Provision of housing, counseling and information offering for rehabilitation
On-site Support Centers at Brothels	11	Financial support for basic living expenses (monthly support of 420 thousand won per person), counseling, legal assistance, vocational training and medical support
CounselingCenter	27	Counseling and deliverance, referral to support facilities or centers, medical or legal assistance, support to recover financial credibility

※ 7.6 million won is allocated per person for legal assistance, vocational training and medical support. Among women who left prostitution, those with the capability to start one’s own business may receive loans up to 30 million won per person with no interest incurred. Basic living expense subsidy offered through on-site support centers at brothels is to cover the living and housing costs during the period of leaving prostitution and becoming self-sufficient.

￭ Table 3 Status of Support Facilities for Victims of Forced Prostitution (as of late December 2006)

(unit: number of facilities, number of people in parenthesis)

Total	Teenager/ General Support Centers	Group Homes	Rehabilitation Support Centers	Foreigner Support Facilities	On-site Support centers
675 (1,935 entrants per year)	509 (1,507 entrants per year)	17 (23 entrants per year)	122 (148 entrants per year)	27 (257 entrants per year)	558 (957 entrants per year)

※ The Act on the Prevention of Prostitution and Protection of Victims supports women who voluntarily work in prostitution as well as victims of forced prostitution.

￭ Table 4 Details of Support (as of late December 2006)

(unit: number of cases)

Facilities	Subtotal	Medical Assistance	Legal Assistance	Employment Training Assistance	School enrolment Education Assistance
Total	34,348	18,971	17,445	2,579	1,720
Support Facilities	14,697	9,698	1,580	1,699	1,720
Counseling Centers	18,887	3,845	15,042	0	0
Rehabilitation Support Centers	532	355	0	177	0
Foreigner Support Facilities	232	130	102	0	0
On-site Support Centers	8,532	4,943	721	703	- (2,165)

※ Further education support in on-site support centers is actually subsidies for living expenses.

￭ Table 5 Status of Foreign Women Using Support Facilities for Women

(Unit: number of people)

Year	Total	Sex Trafficking	Domestic Violence	Accompanying Children	Medical (Accidents)	Others
2003	124	58	33	20	-	13
2004	139	39	64	24	5	7
2005	157	10	91	35	2	19
2006	257	9	174	51	6	17

※ Accompanying children: Children who entered along with their mother who suffered from domestic violence after marriage with Koreans.

※ Others: Women who fled from home, unmarried mothers, etc.

￭ Table 6 Status of Support as of Late 2006

(unit: number of cases)

Field visit and Rescue Activities	Educational Assistance	Legal Assistance	Medical Assistance	Psychological treatment
12	126	102	130	117
Counseling	Home return Assistance	Interpretation Assistance	Liaison with related organizations
1,282	28	428	184

￭ Table 7 Visa Types of Foreign Women Residing in Foreigner Support Facilities (excluding accompanied children)

(unit: number of people)

Year	Total	E6(Art and entertainment)	C3(Multiple)	F2-1(Resident)	Others
2003	104	62	15	19	8
2004	115	38	5	57	15
2005	122	8	10	93	11
2006	206	11	2	167	26

￭ Table 8 Target Ratio for Women in Managerial Positions Above Rank 4

Year	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Total	6,302	6,498	6,498	6,498	6,498	6,498
Number of Women	340	402	450	501	573	650
Women ( per cent )	5.4 per cent	6.2 per cent	6.9 per cent	7.7 per cent	8.8 per cent	10.0 per cent

￭ Table 9 Target Ratio for Women in Positions Above Rank 6 in Local Governments

(unit: per cent )

Year	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Rank 6	11.9	14.2	15.0	16.1	17.4	18.8
Above Rank 6	10.2	12.2	13.0	14.0	15.2	16.5
Above Rank 5	6.1	7.1	7.6	8.3	8.9	9.6

￭ Table 10 Ratio of Women Admitted through the Open Employment System for Rank 5 Public Officials

(unit: per cent )

Year	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
Higher Civil Service Examination (administration and public safety)	28.4	33.4	38.4	44.0	44.6
Diplomatic Examination	45.7	35.7	35.0	52.6	36.0

￭ Table 11 Ratio of Women Passing the Bar Exam per Year

(unit: per cent )

Year	2002	2003	2004	2005
Bar exam	23.9	21.0	24.3	32.3

￭ Table 12 Target Rate and Current Participation Rate of Women in Government Committees per Year

(unit: per cent )

Year	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
Target	30	32	34	36	38	40
Actual Participation Rate	30.1	31.6	32.2	32.4	33.7	-

￭ Table 13 Sex Ratio at Birth

(unit: per cent )

	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
Total	109.6	110.2	109.0	110.0	108.7	108.2	107.7
1st child	105.6	106.2	105.4	106.5	104.9	105.2	104.8
2nd child	107.6	107.4	106.4	107.3	107.0	106.2	106.4
3rd child	141.8	141.7	140.3	140.0	135.2	132.0	127.7
4thchild and above	154.5	167.5	152.4	152.5	149.2	139.1	132.6

￭ Table 14 Advancement Rate to Next Level of School

(unit: per cent )

Year	Elementary School to Middle School	Middle School to High School	High School to Undergraduate	Undergraduate to Graduate
Female	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male
1995	99.9	99.9	98.4	98.6	49.8	52.9	6.2	9.2
2000	100.0	100.0	99.6	99.5	65.4	70.4	6.9	11.1
2006	99.9	99.9	99.8	99.7	81.1	82.9	6.6	8.0

￭ Table 15 Regular/ Irregular Employees by Gender

(unit: thousand people, per cent )

Year	Women	Men
Number of Wage Workers	Regular Workers	Irregular Workers	Irregular Workers ’ Rate	Number of Wage Workers	Regular Workers	Irregular Workers	Irregular Workers ’ Rate
2004	6,096	3,434	2,662	43.7	8,489	5,756	2,732	32.2
2005	6,286	3,539	2,747	43.7	8,682	5,947	2,736	31.5
2006	6,442	3,691	2,752	42.7	8,909	6,204	2,705	30.4

￭ Table 16 Maternal Mortality Rate

Mortality rate (out of one thousand people)

Year	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
Total	5.2	5.1	5.1	5.1	5.1	5.0
Urban	4.2	4.1	4.1	4.1	4.1	4.1
Rural	9.1	8.8	9.0	8.9	8.8	8.7

￭ Table 17 Maternal Mortality during Pregnancy, Childbirth and after Childbirth

(unit: number of people)

Year	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
Total	62	70	71	58	59	53
Urban	45	56	52	49	39	41
Rural	17	14	19	9	20	12

※ Out of pregnancy-related deaths, direct obstetric deaths are only listed.

￭ Table 18 Infant Mortality Rate (out of one thousand infants)

Year	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
Total	4.5	5.4	5.1	5.0	4.6	4.2
Urban	5.0	6.1	5.7	4.9	4.5	4.0
Rural	2.6	2.4	2.7	5.5	5.3	4.9

￭ Table 19 Helper Support for Rural Households per Year

(unit: number of people, million won)

Total	2001	2002
Number of People	Supported Amount	Number of People	Supported Amount	Number of People	Supported Amount
13,856	13,254	1,692	1,140	2,452	2,074
2003	2004	2005	2006
Number of People	Supported Amount	Number of People	Supported Amount	Number of People	Supported Amount	Number of People	Supported Amount
2,833	2,074	3,370	2,304	3,509	2,657	3,811	2,996

※ Authorities for this initiative were transferred to local governments in 2005. Up to 2004, 50 per cent of the fund was covered by the central government budget and 50 per cent by local government budgets.

￭ Table 20 Women Farmers ’ Center Operations (unit: million won)

2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
Number of Centers	Supported Amount	Number of Centers	Supported Amount	Number of Centers	Supported Amount	Number of Centers	Supported Amount	Number of Centers	Supported Amount	Number of Centers	Supported Amount
4	300	18	1,445	18	1,454	27	2,594	34	3,722	38	4,244

※ Authorities for this initiative were transferred to local governments in 2005. Up to 2004, 50 per cent of the fund was covered by the central government budget, 35 per cent by local government budget and 15 per cent by individuals.

￭ Table 21 Infant and Toddler Care Expense Subsidies for Rural Households

(unit: thousand people, million won)

Total	2004	2005	2006
Persons	Amount of assistance	Persons	Amount of assistance	Persons	Amount of assistance	Persons	Amount of assistance
90	111,996	27	29,204	30	38,308	33	44,484

※ Support Initiative to Extend Help to Rural Women to ease workload: 28 thousand people and 19,240 million won supported in 2006

￭ Table 22 Female Agricultural Leaders (unit: number of people)

Total	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998
7,267	213	267	442	595	707	823	1,011
1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
980	859	462	339	264	147	158	144

※ After 2004, women leaders are those starting up their own agricultural businesses

￭ Table 23 Educational and Training Expense Support for Women ’ s Agricultural Associations in 2006(unit: number of people, million won)

Name of association	Number of programs	Trainees	Amount supported by state funds
National Coalition of Rural Housewives’ Associations	1	1,209	50
Central Association for Life Improvement	1	200	50
Korean Women Peasants Association	6	1,208	62
Korean Advanced Women Farmer’s Federation	5	1,796	226

￭ Table 24 Migrant Women and Girls Under Age 15 by Nationality (as of February 2007)(unit: number of people)

Nationality	Girls under age 15	Migrant Women
China (Korean-Chinese)	475	31,476
China	598	5,406
Vietnam	31	3,539
Philippines	277	7,431
Thailand	67	4,230
Japan	1,205	371
Mongolia	334	2,929
Indonesia	49	1,732
Taiwan	1,547	17
Uzbekistan	73	495
Bangladesh	37	124
Sri Lanka	11	464
Pakistan	102	10
USA	8,064	2,287
Canada	556	2,206
Russia (CIS)	272	507
UK	143	521
Germany	145	43
France	206	72
Russia (Korean-Russian)	17	21
Australia	217	267
New Zealand	122	269
Nigeria	51	11
Ghana	2	9
Republic of South Africa	26	272
Total	14,627	64,709

￭ Table 25 Foreign Women ’ s Purpose of Stay by Visa Issuance (as of February 2007)

Nationality	Female workers	1st	2nd	3rd	4th
China (Korean-Chinese)	31,476	Restaurants(E9A) 18,635	Helper at Hospital or Home (E9C) 4,911	Manufacturing Industry (E9F) 1,832	Construction Industry(E9D) 1,120
China	5,406	Vocational Training and Employment (E-8) 1,599	Teaching Foreign Languages(E-2) 433	Other Particular Occupations(E-7) 320	Research(E-3) 97
Vietnam	3,539	Vocational Training and Employment (E-8) 1,526	Manufacturing Industry (E92) 1,027	Agricultural and Livestock Industry (E94) 114	Other Particular Occupations (E-7) 13
Philippines	7,431	Manufacturing Industry(E92) 2,292	Hotel and Entertainment (E62) 1,785	Vocational Training and Employment (E-8) 1,066	Arts and Entertainment (E-6) 630
Thailand	4,230	Manufacturing Industry (E92) 2,347	Vocational Training and Employment(E-8) 619	Other Particular Occupations(E-7) 42	Agricultural and Livestock Industry (E94) 13
Japan	371	Teaching Foreign Languages(E-2) 244	Other Particular Occupations(E-7) 70	Professors (E-1) 50	Research (E-3) 4
Mongolia	2,929	Manufacturing Industry (E92) 1,515	Vocational Training and Employment (E-8) 184	Agricultural and Livestock Industry (E94) 30	Hotel and Entertainment (E62) 21
Indonesia	1,732	Vocational Training and Employment (E-8) 908	Manufacturing Industry (E92) 541	Agricultural and Livestock Industry (E94) 13	Arts and Entertainment (E-6) 5
Taiwan	17	Other Particular Occupations (E-7) 9	Professors (E-1) 4	Teaching Foreign Languages (E-2) 3
Uzbekistan	495	Vocational Training and Employment (E-8) 150	Arts and Entertainment (E-6) 24	Restaurants (E9A) 14	Hotel and Entertainment (E62) 13
Bangladesh	124	Other Particular Occupations (E-7) 2	Research (E-3) 1
Sri Lanka	464	Vocational Training and Employment (E-8) 261	Manufacturing Industry (E92) 121	Agricultural and Livestock Industry (E94) 7	Research (E-3) 1
Pakistan	10	Research (E-3) 2	Vocational Training and Employment (E-8) 1
USA	2,287	Teaching Foreign Languages(E-2) 1,904	Other Particular Occupations(E-7) 310	Professors (E-1) 51	Arts and Entertainment (E-6) 8
Canada	2,206	Teaching Foreign Languages(E-2) 2,074	Other Particular Occupations(E-7) 104	Professors (E-1) 22	Arts and Performance (E61) 3
Russia (CIS)	507	Hotel and Entertainment(E62) 119	Arts and Entertainment(E-6) 95	Other Particular Occupations(E-7) 47	Research (E-3) 29
UK	521	Teaching Foreign Languages(E-2) 468	Other Particular Occupations(E-7) 40	Hotel and Entertainment(E62) 7	Professors (E-1) 3
Germany	43	Other Particular Occupations(E-7) 19	Teaching Foreign Languages(E-2) 10	Professors (E-1) 9	Research (E-3) 4
France	72	Other Particular Occupations(E-7) 21	Teaching Foreign Languages(E-2) 18	Arts and Performance (E61) 13	Professors (E-1) 12
Russia (Korean-Russian)	21	Other Particular Occupations(E-7) 6	Restaurants (E9A) 5	Helper at Hospital or Home (E9C) 4	Manufacturing industry (E9F) 3
Australia	267	Teaching Foreign Languages(E-2) 231	Other Particular Occupations(E-7) 19	Professors (E-1) 7	Hotel and entertainment (E62) 7
New Zealand	269	Teaching Foreign Languages(E-2) 251	Other Particular Occupations(E-7) 15	Professors (E-1) 3
Nigeria	11	Research (E-3) 1
Ghana	9	Other Particular Occupations(E-7) 2
Republic of South Africa	272	Teaching Foreign Languages(E-2) 263	Other Particular Occupations(E-7) 6	Professors (E-1) 1	Arts and Performance(E61) 1
Total	64,709