The Backlash: How South Korea’s Presidential Race is Fueling a War Between Young Men and Women
For years, the story of South Korean women has been one of hard-won progress. In the face of a deeply entrenched culture of misogyny and a corporate world built around male careers, they fought for a foothold. They made gradual gains in the workplace, ignited their own #MeToo movement against harassment, and began to challenge the rigid social norms that have long defined life in the hyper-competitive nation.
But a bitter and divisive presidential race is now exposing the fragility of those gains. The election has become a national battleground for a simmering civil war between the sexes, one that threatens to reverse the tide of gender equality and redefine the country’s political future.
The World’s Largest Gender Pay Gap Meets a Political Tinderbox
The backdrop to this conflict is stark economic reality. South Korea holds the dismal distinction of having the largest gender pay gap among developed economies—a staggering 32% according to the OECD. Women remain severely underrepresented in corporate boardrooms and politics, yet they often face a “glass ceiling” and a male-centered corporate culture that can derail their careers after having children.
In response to these inequities, the South Korean government has implemented policies to address gender discrimination. However, a potent male backlash has emerged, with many young men arguing that gender equality initiatives have gone too far, giving women an unfair advantage in a brutally competitive job market. A common grievance is that women are exempt from the country’s mandatory 18-month military service, which men claim puts them at a career disadvantage.
The Political Exploitation of a Generation Gap
This resentment has not gone unnoticed in the halls of power. The two leading presidential candidates—conservative Yoon Suk Yeol and liberal Lee Jae-myung, both men in their late fifties—are now fighting tooth and nail for what they see as a crucial voting bloc: disaffected young men.
In a shocking pivot, they have tailored their campaigns to cater to this demographic:
Yoon Suk Yeol, the conservative front-runner, has capitalized on the backlash, openly criticizing feminism and pledging to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, which he claims unfairly favors women.
Lee Jae-myung, his liberal rival, has faced intense pressure from within his own party to appeal to these same young men after conservative victories in key mayoral races. While traditionally more aligned with gender equality, his campaign has also begun to modulate its message to avoid alienating this group.
This political strategy has proven effective. Recent surveys reveal a striking political divide: young South Korean men are becoming increasingly conservative, while their female peers are leaning more to the left. This split isn’t just about gender; it extends to the economy and national security, with young men favoring tougher approaches on North Korea and economic growth over social welfare spending.
A Society at a Crossroads
The consequences of this political maneuvering are profound. Critics warn that the rhetoric from the top threatens to intimidate victims of sexual violence from coming forward, fearing they will be swept up in a broader cultural and political backlash. Furthermore, it leaves a generation of young women feeling politically alienated and unrepresented, watching as their hard-fought progress is used as a political bargaining chip.
The situation presents a national dilemma. As the country grapples with slowing global growth and economic uncertainty—factors that prompted the Bank of Japan to maintain ultra-loose monetary policy, a situation South Korea understands well—its leaders are choosing to amplify internal division rather than foster unity.
The outcome of the election will do more than select a new president; it will signal a direction for the nation. Will South Korea choose to address the genuine economic anxieties of its young people without scapegoating an entire gender? Or will it legitimize a backlash that could unravel years of social progress? The world is watching as one of Asia’s most dynamic democracies navigates this self-inflicted crisis of its own making.
Korea’s Presidential Race is Fueling a War Between Young Men and Women
