Practicing Feminism in South Korea ─ The Women's Movement Against Sexual Violence

The Korean women’s movement, which is widely seen, in both Western and non-Western countries, as exemplary in terms of women’s activism, experienced a dramatic change in its direction and strategy in the early 1990s, a typical example of the new approach being an increasing focus on sexual violence issues. The anti-sexual violence movement has had a huge impact in bringing women’s issues on to the public agenda in Korea, and has been claimed as the heart of the women’s movement in Korea. This book examines feminist practice in Korea, focusing on and analyzing the experiences of the first Sexual Assault Centre in Korea. Based on extensive original research, including interviews with activists and extensive participant observation, it explores why feminist activists in South Korea have organized vigorous activities on sexual violence, what has been the impact of the movement, and what have been the strategies and challenges in achieving their objectives.

Kyungja Jung is a senior lecturer in the Department of Social and Political Change in the University of Technology, Sydney