Korean Pension Reform from the Perspective of Womens Social Rights

Abstract

This study seeks to understand Korean pension reform debate during 2003-2007 in gender perspective, and find theoretical and policy implications on womens social rights. First, previous gender-related perspectives on social policy are critically reviewed. A comprehensive analytic framework including not only womens three status - as a worker, a wife and a mother - but also a right as a citizen in society, and macro approaches as well as micro one is suggested. Second, Korean pension reform process and debates were reconstructed by gender perspective. In Korean pension reform process, the main critical issues were insignificant poverty reduction effect as well as financial instability. Most reform alternatives or measures argued seriously in reform debates had significant gender meaning, which has been rarely recognized as gender issue. This study focused on analyzing weakening of male bread winner model unintentionally caused by reform measures for financial stability, gender meaning of multi-pillar system (or strengthen the private pension schemes), Wollstonecrafts dilemma issues in pension reform debate, social protection perspective versus compensation for child care perspective, and paradox of gender-equality measures.