Hong Jun-pyo, Targeting Male Voters Again?... Women's Pledge Without Women

"Need to Clear Misunderstandings Among Women" Targeting Female Audience but
Still Facing Concerns and Lack of Specificity Among Women

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] Hong Jun-pyo, a presidential candidate from the People Power Party, announced women and population policy pledges, stating he would "win over the hearts of women." However, critics say the pledges lack concreteness and do not address issues women face such as employment and discrimination, making them distant from the "female vote."

On the 1st, Hong held a press conference at his campaign office in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, unveiling a women and population policy pledge titled "From Feminism to Humanism, From Feminism to Familism." As part of 'Humanism,' he pledged to integrate the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family with other ministries and abolish quotas. For 'Familism,' he proposed expanding care support and increasing retraining programs to support women who have experienced career interruptions.

At the announcement, Hong emphasized, "Women’s policies should focus on family values and community restoration," adding, "I will implement genuine gender equality policies without discrimination or reverse discrimination."

Recently, Hong has gained momentum with overwhelming support from men in their 20s and 30s in various polls. However, due to past controversies over offensive remarks and sexist comments, his support among women in their 20s and 30s remains low, prompting his campaign to devise ways to win them over. Expanding his support base is necessary to stabilize his standing. Previously, on the 23rd, he also expressed awareness of the female demographic, stating, "I want to summarize and announce women-related pledges to win back the hearts of women who have misunderstood me over a few trivial words."

Nevertheless, it remains uncertain whether the pledges he announced can actually reverse public opinion trends. While the women’s policies include pledges such as integrating the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and abolishing quotas to realize gender equality, they are disconnected from the interests of women in their 20s and 30s, who are sensitive to social and economic disparities. Although there are policies to strengthen the effectiveness of electronic monitoring bracelets and support women with career interruptions, concrete measures are lacking.

From his remarks at the pledge announcement, it is clear that the focus is more on resolving conflicts with men rather than on women. He said, "Due to gender sensitivity, Supreme Court rulings have caused men, especially those in their 20s and 30s, to reach a peak of dissatisfaction," adding, "Also, the status of women has changed drastically compared to the past. That’s why I said let’s move from feminism to humanism, from feminism to familism."

On the same day, Kwon In-sook, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized Hong’s remarks and pledges on Facebook. She questioned, "Is the cause of young people’s dissatisfaction the court ruling that ‘victims should not be passively forced to behave in a victim-like manner when sexual crime cases are tried’?" She called it "an insulting remark that judges young people from an outdated perspective." She also directly stated to Hong, "You have been criticized for your views on women throughout your political career, yet there is no reflection."

Regarding his pledges, she said, "There is no sign of concern or solutions for women’s employment and discrimination issues," adding, "Talking about chemical castration for heinous and habitual sex offenders is a shallow attempt to exploit women’s safety anxieties."

Meanwhile, Hong is not the only candidate targeting the youth with a 'gender equality' platform. Yoo Seung-min, another presidential candidate from the same party, has also proposed abolishing the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and establishing gender equality bureaus in all ministries. Ha Tae-kyung, a People Power Party lawmaker, has emphasized resolving gender conflicts by advocating for the abolition of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and introducing women’s military conscription.