Chairman Says Only Women Should Drink "Breast-Enhancing Pomegranate Soju" [The Editors' Verdict]

Chairman Choi Jae-ho of Muhak Leading Gyeongnam Chamber of Commerce
Public Apology and Accountability Needed for Objectifying Remarks Toward Women at Dinner

Choi Jae-ho, chairman of the Gyeongnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry Council, revealed a poor awareness of gender sensitivity. After the regular briefing of the Gyeongnam Chamber of Commerce last month, at a lunch with reporters, Chairman Choi asked a female reporter to deliver a pomegranate-flavored carbonated soju produced by Muhak, the liquor company he runs, calling it "women's alcohol." The reason given was that eating pomegranates supposedly makes breasts grow. He also said, "It's okay for women to have bigger breasts, but men shouldn't have big breasts."

After the meal, Chairman Choi called the female reporter to apologize, but the explanation he gave during this process was even more absurd. He claimed that his child ate pomegranates and their breasts grew, so he told men not to eat pomegranates. Pomegranates are known as a fruit that contains isoflavones, a precursor to the female hormone estrogen, which is helpful for menopausal women. However, the rumor that eating pomegranates makes breasts grow has no scientific basis. The anecdotal claims that breast size increased due to food intake are ridiculous, but this excuse seems to reaffirm the male-centered thinking that "women should have big breasts." This is unpleasant as it reflects a typical objectification of women, viewing them not as individuals but as beings whose role is to breastfeed children or fulfill male sexual fantasies.

Sexual objectification causes side effects that prevent women from seeing themselves as subjects. In particular, research shows that experiences of sexual objectification at work hinder women's work immersion. A study by Professors Baek Geun-young and Seo Young-seok from Yonsei University, surveying 252 working women in Seoul and Gyeonggi areas, found that experiences of sexual objectification in interpersonal relationships negatively affect work immersion through internalization and body surveillance. Therefore, objectification of women should be guarded against not only in public spaces but also in private settings, regardless of women's attendance.

Nevertheless, Chairman Choi's attitude that his remarks were merely a "slip of the tongue" and that apologizing to the female reporter present at the meal would suffice shows how low his gender sensitivity is. This is why women's organizations in the Gyeongnam region have urged, "Chairman Choi himself should receive sexual harassment prevention education and establish measures to improve organizational culture."

The comedy is that the Gyeongnam Chamber of Commerce claims that since the chairman position is an unpaid honorary post, he is not subject to sexual harassment prevention education. Chairman Choi is the CEO of Muhak, a liquor company based in the Gyeongnam region. According to Article 13, Paragraph 2 of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, the CEO of a corporation is required to receive sexual harassment prevention education.

The chairman of the Gyeongnam Chamber of Commerce holds a significant position representing companies in the Gyeongnam region. Moreover, Muhak is a listed company that went public on the KOSDAQ market in 1998 and later moved to the KOSPI. Chairman Choi should publicly apologize and show responsibility.

Muhak started in 1929 as Sohwa Liquor Industry, manufacturing soju and cheongju, and was acquired by the late Choi Wi-seung, Chairman Choi's father, who renamed it Muhak Brewery and produced diluted soju called "Muhak." Chairman Choi joined Muhak in 1985 and led the launch of "Good Day" in 2006, pioneering low-alcohol soju innovation in the liquor market. Good Day is credited with changing the image of soju, traditionally enjoyed by middle-aged men, into a soft drink that women and younger generations can enjoy lightly. The "Good Day Tok Series" prepared by Chairman Choi at the meal is also, as he himself revealed, a product targeted at women. If women are regarded as means rather than people, these products would be shunned.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.