Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, is announcing the six major pledges for a job revolution on the 18th at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, announced five major pledges in the women and family sector on the 18th, including the introduction of a wage disclosure system and automatic parental leave for parents upon childbirth.
On the same day, Lee announced these policies at the 'Hope Forward, Proper Gender Equality!' Women's Committee Victory Resolution Rally held at Nurikum Square Business Tower in Mapo-gu, Seoul.
The pledges consist of ▲a fair workplace without discrimination △a society where parents care for children together ▲guaranteeing sexual and reproductive health rights throughout life ▲a society where diverse social networks are respected ▲support for the growth of children and adolescents in single-parent families without discrimination.
To eliminate gender discrimination in economic activities, Lee pledged to introduce an employment equality wage disclosure system. He said, “We will first introduce this in the public sector and gradually expand it to the private sector.”
To prevent gender discrimination at the hiring stage, he also announced plans to amend the Gender Equality Employment Act and the Hiring Procedure Act, and to establish institutional measures and social sanctions in case of violations.
Regarding caregiving, he emphasized, “We will promote the ‘Parental Quota System for Parental Leave’ to alleviate the economic and socio-cultural burdens associated with taking leave.”
He also proposed the introduction of an ‘Automatic Parental Leave Registration System’ where parental leave is automatically applied for both parents upon childbirth, and measures to allow anyone who works to enroll in employment insurance.
To guarantee sexual and reproductive health rights, he pledged to support the purchase of sanitary pads for female adolescents and to provide free HPV vaccinations to male adolescents, just as female adolescents receive.
For single-person households, he emphasized increasing the supply of public housing and revitalizing the voluntary guardianship system so that single-person households can adequately prepare for diseases such as dementia.
He also said he would improve support systems for single-parent families. Lee stated, “We will remove the income criteria for issuing single-parent family certificates,” and “We will change the certificate’s use so that it proves family type rather than poverty.”
He added, “When the gender equality index, which has remained at the bottom for years, rises to the top ranks,
and the values of equality and dignity are realized,
the name of an advanced country will shine more genuinely,”
and “I will pursue politics that find causes and solve problems, not politics that incite hatred and ride on conflicts.”
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