French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Bertoux delivers congratulatory remarks during the Women, Forces of the Future, 140 Years of Korea-France Dialogue event at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, May 18. Korea Times photo by Anna J. Park
Calls for stronger women leadership and greater gender equality took center stage at a special forum at Ewha Womans University on May 18 under the theme “Women, Forces of the Future, 140 Years of Korea-France Dialogue.” The daylong event was organized to commemorate both the 140th anniversary of Ewha Womans University, along with the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France.
In his welcoming remarks, French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Bertoux emphasized both the progress made and the challenges that remain in advancing gender equality.
“At the legislative, regulatory and societal levels, women’s status has made considerable progress. However, women still frequently face unfair and unacceptable environments. Such conditions can only weaken trust in systems designed by men,” Bertoux said.
“France, like Korea, is changing far too slowly. Although women are generally more highly educated than men, they remain a minority in high-paying sectors such as engineering and information technology, while making up the majority in professions with below-average wages.”
