Framing Dynamics of South Korean Women’s Movements, 1970s–90s: Global Influences, State Responses, and Interorganizational Networks

Abstract

South Korean feminist activism has been a paradigmatic case of success in terms of legislating and amending laws and policies germane to gender equality. In explain- ing dynamics of South Korean women's movements, however, existing research that highlights importance of external structures falls short of analytic acumen. Even when propitious opportunities for movement vibrancy appear, they cannot become consequential gains unless movement participants perceive opportuni- ties as palpable and capitalize on them. By focusing on activities of Korea Women's Hot Line (KWHL), we explore how KWHL created a gender frame in 1970s and changed it in 1980s and 1990s and investigate how KWHL problematized gender violence, identified perpetrators, distinguished root cause, and furnished solutions. This process of frame construction and reconstitution is not only intrinsic to forming a feminist identity and mobilizing women's movements but also integral to movement trajectories. Yet, framing and its impact are practiced and constrained within specific domestic and international confines. In South Korean case, gender frames have been formulated and reformulated by three factors: (1) global influences, (2) state responses, and (3) interorganizational networks. The abeyance of Western feminism from late 1970s coincided with an increase in women's movements in developing countries. 1 South Korean feminist activism has been one of paradigmatic cases of success and has been highly touted domestically and internationally. A Western feminist scholar appraises that the (South) Korean women's movement has proven sufficiently cohesive and flexible as to provide demands for gender equality with an increasingly visible and