Introduction of the Employment Equality Wage Disclosure System
Pledge to Strengthen Punishment for Dating Violence Crimes
"Realizing Human Dignity Beyond Prejudice and Discrimination"
Lee Jae Myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party, pledged on the 16th to introduce an "Employment Equality Wage Disclosure System" to address the gender wage gap. Emphasizing the need for continuous efforts to improve the discrimination faced by women, Lee stated, "I believe it is not right to excessively divide men and women and create conflict."
Lee Jae Myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party, is delivering a speech appealing for support at a campaign rally held on the 16th at the old city hall square in Gunsan, Jeonbuk. Photo by Yonhap News
After completing his schedule in Jeonju, Jeonbuk, Lee spoke with reporters and said, "Women face discrimination in many areas, and this requires constant improvement efforts." He continued, "There are injustices women suffer due to wage gaps, their physical characteristics as women, and being in a relatively weaker position. To ensure all members of our society can live equally, we need special protection policies." He reiterated, "I believe it is not right to excessively divide men and women and create conflict."
On the same day, Lee announced women-related policies through his social media channels. He promised to introduce the Employment Equality Wage Disclosure System, actively reflect gender equality indicators in public institutions, and strengthen tax support for companies that hire women returning to the workforce.
He also proposed measures to support the participation of women entrepreneurs. Lee stated, "We will expand investment funds for women-led venture companies to support their startups and growth, and actively assist women scientists and engineers in strengthening their capabilities and transitioning their careers." He added, "We will enhance the status of women farmers and expand special health checkup programs to prevent diseases related to agricultural activities and strengthen health and welfare." Furthermore, he pledged to "broaden support for the education and employment of multicultural women farmers."
Lee also presented pledges to ensure women's safety. He said, "We will strengthen penalties for dating violence crimes and improve the system to ensure that victim protection orders are always applied." He added, "We will introduce strong measures such as restraining orders against perpetrators of dating violence and, in cases of non-compliance, detainment in holding cells to ensure the effectiveness of these orders."
He continued, "Dating violence occurring in intimate relationships, such as between lovers or spouses, still falls into a legal blind spot." He promised, "We will improve related systems to prevent such violence from escalating into serious crimes or acts of retaliation." In addition, to enhance the response system of judicial agencies, Lee said, "We will establish a national official statistics system for dating violence and dating-related murders to systematically analyze prior crimes and develop preventive measures for subsequent crimes."
Lee also announced plans to distribute safety bells connected to the police in workplaces where women work alone, expand the supply of women-safe housing, and increase support for crime prevention equipment and facilities, such as CCTV, for households vulnerable to women's safety.
The policies also include strict punishment for digital sex crimes and measures to protect victims. Lee stated, "We will closely monitor digital sex crimes such as deepfake videos and strengthen punishments for sex crimes and defamation committed using advanced technologies like AI." He also pledged to "strengthen systematic, prevention-focused education."
To protect victims, Lee promised to "enhance the cooperation system of the 'Digital Sex Crime Victim Support Center' so that the deletion of illegal recordings, investigations, and legal and medical support can be provided in a one-stop manner, and to secure sufficient budgets and professional personnel." He added, "We will also expand support for the development of detection technologies for false and manipulated content such as deepfake videos."
Lee said, "I dream of a day when the safety and labor policies I discussed today do not need to be classified as women's policies." He continued, "I will create a Korea where not only women but everyone can be safe and happy." He also stated, "I will build a country where the spirit of justice, human dignity, and solidarity thrives, overcoming prejudice, discrimination, and hate." In addition to the women's pledges announced today, Lee promised to "continue to announce policies to create a society that is safe and a good place for everyone to work, as these are not just women's issues but issues for all."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
