Twentysomething Men and Women Both Feel Discriminated... President Lee Calls for a Public Forum for Dialogue and Discussion

President Jae Myung Lee Presides Over Senior Secretary Meeting on the 18th

Joo-Hyung Lee, Youth Officer, is presenting at the Chief Presidential Secretary meeting chaired by President Jae-Myung Lee at the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul, on the 18th. Photo by Yonhap News

President Jae Myung Lee suggested that a public forum for dialogue and discussion may be necessary regarding the contrasting perceptions of discrimination among men and women in their twenties.

According to Kang Yoo Jung, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, President Lee made this statement while presiding over a Senior Secretary Meeting at the Presidential Office in Yongsan on the 18th.

During the meeting, President Lee received a report on improving gender equality awareness among young people in the social sector and showed deep interest in a survey indicating that 70.3% of women in their twenties view discrimination against women as serious, while 70.4% of men in their twenties consider discrimination against men to be serious.

Spokesperson Kang explained, "President Lee seemed to regard it as a serious issue that men and women of the same generation both feel they are being discriminated against," adding, "He suggested that it might be worthwhile to bring this issue into the public sphere and create an opportunity to listen and hold discussions."

Youth officers present at the meeting stated that it would be beneficial to listen to the opinions of men and women separately, to which President Lee responded that it was "an interesting proposal," according to Spokesperson Kang.

President Lee also questioned whether the changed environment and developments should be reflected in the use and allocation of increased research and development (R&D) funding in the core policy areas of future science, noting that basic research is now heavily reliant on artificial intelligence (AI).

Spokesperson Kang further conveyed that President Lee emphasized that, given the large scale of the budget, there must never be any waste or corruption in its use.

Meanwhile, President Lee also instructed that ways to technically enhance the military and turn it into a source of good jobs for young people should be considered.