‘Gender conflict’ emerges as election issue among young voters

The presidential race between ruling and opposition parties is getting fiercer due to ‘conflict between genders.’ Ruling Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung and main opposition People Power Party standard bearer Yoon Suk-yeol have taken opposite directions over gender conflict.

According to the Democratic Party on Sunday, Lee has completed on Friday filming of his interview with YouTube channel Dot Face, which has been dealing with feminism and sexual minority issues. “The interview was an opportunity to show Lee’s general stance towards gender issues including women’s rights and sexual minority. It is meant to cater to female voters in their 20s and 30s.”

Yoon made a Facebook post reading “dismantlement of the Gender Equality and Family Ministry” on Friday. He again reiterated this position on Saturday by saying, “I will seek to establish a new ministry that will comprehensively deal with issues regarding children, family and declining population, rather than a ministry dealing with issues about men and women.” People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok used to claim the dismantlement of the ministry to cater to the interest of male voters in their 20s.

However, since male and female voters have totally different views on gender issues, both the ruling and opposition parties are paying keen attention to the public’s response to their stances. “Why did we get our candidate to be entangled in ‘gender conflict,’” said Rep. Kim Nam-guk of the ruling party. Minor Justice Party presidential candidate Shim Sang-jung also countered Yoon by saying, “Strengthen the Gender Equality Ministry.”


Sung-Hwi Kang yolo@donga.com