A South Korean politician has been inundated with criticism after making comments about women being responsible for the rise in male suicide rates.
In a recent report, Seoul city councilor Kim Ki Deok made the argument that the increased participation of women in the workforce in recent years has made it harder for men to find jobs and eventually settle down in life. He claimed that South Korea had recently “Begun to change into a female-dominant society,” adding that this dynamic shift was partly “responsible for an increase in male suicide attempts.”
Councilor Kim, a member of the Democratic Party, made these comments while analyzing the data on male suicide attempts made at bridges along the Han River. These comments were published as a part of a report on the city council’s official website, which also showed that suicide rates along the Han River had risen from 430 in 2018 to 1,035 in 2023. The total percentage of men among those jumped from 67% to 77% in those years.
Kim’s comments were called out by his political rivals, suicide prevention experts, and the Korean Women’s Trade Union (KWTU), among others. “Such comments encapsulate just how pervasive misogyny is in South Korea,” the director of KWTU, Yuri Kim, told the BBC.
It is dangerous and unwise to make claims like this without sufficient evidence.
— Song In Han, Yonsei University professor
These comments have ignited intense flames of criticism on social media, not only from Korean netizens but from international citizens as well. Many felt that Kim’s misogynistic comment was representative of how out of touch South Korean politicians are even today. Some also pointed out that his comments were not rooted in factual reality, given that the reality of women in South Korea is far from being in their favor.
…??? what the hell is wrong with korean politics https://t.co/df0SlvgsMa pic.twitter.com/yfh2k7vX70
— neptune !! (@bluixi) July 10, 2024
Apparently, when women earn their own money and become independent, men become suicidal… remind me again, who needs who in order to survive? https://t.co/hSY4Is6dXe
— مامي (@Blueflowerfem) July 10, 2024
every time you read the words “south korea” and “women” in the same phrase you already know you’re about to get hit with the craziest incel take
that country can give us talking fridges but treating women like humans is where they draw the line https://t.co/cjzDpDPBSK
— mar. ౨ৎ (@ladydiorism) July 11, 2024
Saying korea is becoming female dominated when women can legally still be fired cause they get married/pregnant is actually hilarious… Maybe korea should become female dominated if this is what happens https://t.co/TrARjt2H0T
— ᴠɪᴄ (@dulljigsawpiece) July 10, 2024
The article says -Kim Ki-duck believes that men kill themselves coz more women are in the workforce. Which makes it harder for men to get jobs and to find women who want to marry them
Like a compass needle that points north, a man’s accusing finger always finds a woman. Always https://t.co/ewiuVhemLq
— Feminist Witch 🇵🇸🇵🇸 🌙 (@DonCorleANN) July 11, 2024
“Learn this now and learn it well. Like a compass facing north, a man’s accusing finger always finds a woman. Always. You remember that, Mariam.”
– A thousand splendid suns by Khaled Hosseini https://t.co/YmQWw2rMTI— Mihrimah|FS |Free Palestine🇵🇸 |🪬🤲 (@Mihrimah_FS) July 11, 2024
In response to the mounting criticism, Kim told BBC that he had “not intended to be critical of the female-dominated society” but only expressed his personal view of such a system.
Source: BBC
