“K-feminism in relation to politics has become a monster.”
Writer Oserabi (62, real name Lee Young-hee), who calls himself a humanist and anti-feminist, said in the book’How Feminism Becomes a Monster’, which he recently participated in as a co-author, “Whether it is progress or conservative, feminism is unwritten.” This means that in these days of severe gender conflict, politicians, regardless of the opposition party, generally don’t talk about feminism.
He has expressed clear opinions on topics that politicians are also avoiding. Of course, all kinds of criticism and support poured out.
When asked, “What kind of curse have you heard?”, author Oserabi continued to swear that he could not be included in the article. He looked strong. When asked if it might be criticism mixed with complaints or emotions from a person who has moved away from the women’s movement, he said, “I just turned to myself, and I don’t care about such criticism.” He said “misunderstanding” to the criticism of “standing on the male side and promoting another gender conflict”.
Why does he criticize’feminism’ like this, and in what way does he think’feminism’ is tied to the political world? I met him on the 14th.
On the 14th, author Oserabi, 62, co-author of’How Feminism Becomes a Monster’ is interviewing the JoongAng Ilbo. Kim Ji-sun PD
- Oserabi, the name is peculiar. Is it your real name?
- His real name is Younghee Lee. In French,’Oh! It means’C’est la vie’ and is used as a pseudonym in books or columns.
- Why is it often summoned to the feminist debate?
- Wouldn’t it be because I was a feminist and then turned to anti. I was also leftist in previous years. That doesn’t mean I’m going to be a conservative person.
- When and why did you turn?
- In the early 2000s, working in the Uri Party Women’s Committee and working with the Korean Federation of Women’s Organizations (Yeoyeon). I felt that the women’s movement was too biased toward the movement for national reunification. At the end of the IMF crisis, I wanted to work for the economically disadvantaged women, but women’s organizations weren’t that way. When I asked a women’s activist, “Why don’t you do that?” I heard the answer, “That’s the country’s job, not the women’s group.” I thought it was hypocritical.
- Feminism, complicated and difficult.
- In simple terms, feminism is about increasing the interests and empowerment of women. Feminism, the basis of modern women’s studies, is based on radical feminism that occurred during the French ’68 Revolution’, which had a great influence on progressive political forces around the world. In Korea, such radical feminism was combined with progressive leftist ideology. Korea also has a relatively short history. In Korea, women’s movement groups were formed around the 1990s, and these became popular in the 2000s. Western feminism has been around for about 200 years, and Korea brought it in in a short period of time.
- In his recent book, he criticized’feminism in collaboration with political power’.
- 586 Movement power and women’s group movement have the same start. It is a comradeship relationship. I see it as a twin. Most of the upper-class women’s activists started their activities in Yeoyeon. This organization was formed in 1987 when the democratization movement began. The democratization movement and the women’s movement started together. From that time on, organizations related to’Yeoyeon’ took the initiative in the women’s movement. So far, 11 people from this group have become prime ministers, ministers, and members of the National Assembly.
A person from the Federation of Korean Women’s Organizations, who served as Prime Minister, Minister, and National Assembly member. Jisoo Kim Graphic Intern
- Is it possible to see that the advancement of the politics from a women’s group is necessarily a’collaboration’? What’s the problem
- There is a problem with the process. The elite women’s activists built a reputation using ordinary women’s activists and women who acted with good will as tools. They use them as a channel to gain political power. But don’t you really criticize it again? The symbol of’Yeoyeon’ is Nam In-soon, a member of the Democratic Party. Congressman Nam is the one who led the anti-sexual violence movement more than anyone else. Rep. Chung Chun-suk also served as the permanent representative of the’Korean Women’s Telephone’ for 6 years, and with this, he entered the political world. However, aren’t they both putting too much of a double standard in the early days of the Park Won-soon and Ogeo-don sex scandal? He spoke selectively according to the camp and the people. Rep. Nam and Kim Sang-hee, vice chairman of the National Assembly, led the name of the victim. How long has Vice Chairman Kim also been in the women’s movement while serving as the standing representative of the Korean Women’s Minwoo Association? It’s hypocrisy. It greatly frustrated the women activists who were working at the bottom. I am confused about what the women’s movement is for.
Rep. Nam In-soon and Jung Chun-sook, who are symbols of the Korean Women’s Association, were controversial as they did not disclose a clear position in the early days of the sexual scandal in the former mayors of Seoul and Busan. Jung-eum Jang Graphic Intern.
- Is it really bad to have money and power?
- Of course, money and power are necessary for the movement, but the problem is that a few dominate this. Money and power are only used in the struggle for the interests of elite women. So feminism is a boon for them. Another window of opportunity for power opens up. However, what help did the money and power they grasp to the bottom of society or to ordinary women? I have watched and participated in the women’s movement for nearly 30 years, but I haven’t seen such a case. It’s their own league.
- Will the formula for women’s movement into institutional politics continue to be in effect?
- Yeoyeon, Korean Women’s Friendship Association, Korean Sexual Violence Counseling Center, and Korean women’s phone lines will unconditionally enter the National Assembly proportional representative one after another. It is hardly ever wrong. Former Minister of Women Jeong Hyeon-baek and former Prime Minister Han Myung-sook also served as representatives of Yeo Yeon, and then became prime minister after serving as Minister of Environment and Women. Choi Young-ae, chairman of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, also served as the head of the Korean sexual violence counseling center for nearly 10 years. Until now, it was natural to enter the politics of the’retrospective’ style, but’Yeoyeon’ can’t escape the criticism of the sexual scandal of former mayors Park Won-soon and Oh Geo-don. It remains to be seen if it continues to go to the National Assembly like this.
- Couldn’t it be possible to advance into politics by gaining experience and being recognized for ability?
- Most of them enter the politics as appointed positions or proportional representatives due to the quota system. This is the problem. If you have confidence, it is right to challenge the elected position from the start. You have to compete with your skills. Only a small number of activists should not enjoy the benefits of advancing into politics through connections or academic relations, or take power as if they were looking for a place they had left. Isn’t this something without the’subjectivity’ of women’s movement?
- In the book, he criticized’Yoon Mi-hyang’ as a collusion between women’s movement and established politics.
- The Korean Women’s Movement and the Korean Association for Countermeasures against Mental Problems, the predecessor of the’Jeign Memory Solidarity’, are the same. In 1987, the Federation of Korean Women’s Organizations (Yeoyeon) was formed, and in 1990, three years later, 36 progressive left-wing women’s organizations in Korea gathered to form a Jeong Dae-hyeop. Congressman Mi-hyang Yoon has been watching since he was the youngest activist. The Women’s Movement and Congressman Mi-hyang Yoon, and Daehyup Jeong and the Solidarity for Memory of Justice (Euiyeon Jeong) are in the same extension. Even if you are criticized, you have no choice but to receive it together.
In the early 2000s, when Rep. Mi-hyang Yoon was active as the secretary general of the Korean Council for Countermeasures against Psychiatric Problems. Jung-eum Jang Graphic Intern, JoongAng DB
- “Eui-yeon Jeong does not really want to solve the comfort women problem,” he argued.
- Eui-yeon Eui-yeon integrated with Chung Dae-hyup, but are they still receiving separate subsidies from the Ministry of Leisure and Family under different corporate status? This is very wrong. In addition to subsidies, the comfort women’s activities have become a huge industry for them. After the comfort women problem is really resolved, the value of Eui-yeon Eui-yeon will disappear… I wonder if you really intend to solve the comfort women problem. In order to solve the comfort women problem as soon as possible, the government must take direct responsibility from beginning to end, rather than entrusting it to civic groups like Eui-yeon.
- The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family also consistently criticized it. What’s the problem
- It has been 20 years since the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family was established. It was a time when a woman was needed. It was different from now. But I’m not sure if this organization with a budget of over 1.2 trillion won is needed. The most common petition in the Blue House national petition is the dismantling of the woman’s wife. In the Moon Jae-in administration, there have been 1,500 petitions. The name should be changed to the’Ministry of Gender Equality and Family’, or issues of low birth rate, women, the elderly, vulnerable women, and men should be comprehensively dealt with. Men also have so many problems to solve. A reorganization close to dismantling is necessary.
- There is also a criticism from the female world, “Will you put a man on your back and split the other side?”
- It is not a male activist who is on the side of men because they criticize the women’s movement. I hope you don’t get it wrong. It’s just that now it’s too’tilted playground’. There are more than 3,200 women’s organizations with the name of women in Korea, including branches nationwide. Of these, there are about 600 women’s organizations that receive government subsidies and local government subsidies. It is not compelling that men think,’Why can’t I claim my rights with my taxes?’
- How can the gender conflict be resolved?
- This conflict should not be viewed as a dichotomy between women and men. Then it only raises the conflict. I can’t solve it.
Reporter Kim Tae-ho [email protected]
Video = Kim Ji-sun, Kim Han-sol PD, Kim Ji-soo, Jang Jeong-eum, Yoon Se-hyun intern