[Women’s Forum 10th Anniversary] Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon: "Gender Equality, an Essential Element for Sustainable Development"

Congratulatory Speech at the '2021 Asia Women Leaders Forum'... "Seoul City Will Break the Glass Ceiling"

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is greeting attendees at the '2021 Asia Women Leaders Forum' hosted by Asia Economy at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 27th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon emphasized that "gender equality is an essential element for sustainable development that enhances the value and competitiveness of individuals, society, and the nation."

On the 27th, Mayor Oh congratulated the hosting of the 10th '2021 Asia Women Leaders Forum' this year and made these remarks. Mayor Oh stated, "There are still large and small discriminations and gaps in our workplaces, and it is true that there is a long way to go to achieve true gender equality," adding, "The glass ceiling still exists, where women experience limits in promotion despite having sufficient ability and qualifications."

He continued, "Seoul City will break the glass ceiling through ability-centered personnel management without discrimination in line with the era of transition," promising, "Currently, the proportion of women among managers at grade 5 or higher in Seoul City is 27.8%, and we will continuously expand the proportion of female managers so that women leaders can actively participate in decision-making processes and demonstrate their abilities." He also added that Seoul City will create a culture where marriage, pregnancy, and child-rearing do not become obstacles to women's social participation and promote a work-family balance culture.

Mayor Oh also mentioned the 'Asia Gender Equality Index,' developed by Asia Economy and now in its 6th year, saying, "It is a very meaningful attempt to quantify the utilization of female workforce in major companies through objective indicators, driving practical changes in the field, fostering a discrimination-free organizational culture, and contributing to increasing women's labor market participation." He expressed expectations for social change through this index.