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Pushing for Sustainable Industry at the Greener Manufacturing Show

Ahead of The Greener Manufacturing Show in Cologne on the 9th and 10th of November 2022, AZoCleanTech spoke with Peter Sarno, event director of the show, about the push for sustainable industrial solutions.

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South Korea: Environmental Issues, Policies and Clean Technology

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Ahead of The Greener Manufacturing Show in Cologne on the 9th and 10th of November 2022, AZoCleanTech spoke with Peter Sarno, event director of the show, about the push for sustainable industrial solutions.

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I'm glad to meet you. I am a student at Yeongjong High School in Incheon. I like to watch movies, listen to music, and talk to other people. I'm not very good at it, but I hope this time today will be a fun time.

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Malaysia is heavily dependent on the labour of both documented and undocumented migration workers, most of whom come from Indonesia, Nepal and Bangladesh. These workers are disproportionately affected by the challenges presented by COVID-19 due to a range of interconnected factors relating to the specific jobs they engage and their immigration status.

In line with global efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19, on 18th March 2020, Malaysia enacted large-scale social distancing via a nationwide Movement Control Order (MCO), ranked as the fourth strictest restriction in Southeast Asia. This partial lockdown involves a complete restriction of movement and assembly and the closure of government and private businesses; excluding those which provide essential services including transportation, electricity, water, retail and food supply. Non-citizens are unable to enter Malaysia and Malaysians are not allowed to leave.

Work or Starve

The vast majority of Malaysia migration workforce occupy so-called “low-skilled” positions whereby workers are employed on employer-tied fixed-term (temporary) contracts in manufacturing, construction, plantations, agriculture, services, and domestic work sectors. The roles most migrants carry out do not provide the option of ‘working from home’ during this pandemic. Migrants are left with two options: lose their jobs or face increased health risks. If their workplace remains open, they have no choice but to continue working at a place where their safety may not be guaranteed.

Due to COVID-19, the ILO estimates that countries in Asia-Pacific face the biggest job losses worldwide with an expected 175 million full-time positions lost. The Malaysian Institute of Economic Research has estimated that the best case scenario is that 951,000 jobs will be lost in Malaysia, of which 68 per cent will be those deemed low-skilled. Malaysia’s Labour Ministry has advised that “if a lay-off is inevitable, foreign employees should be terminated first”.

Malaysia’s MCO caused many migrant workers in the construction, manufacturing, cleaning, and service sector to lose their jobs overnight. As they are no longer able to work or earn during lockdown, some sending countries, such as Bangladesh, have stepped in to provide food and essential supplies to some workers. Community organisations are also trying to raise money for migrants who have lost their income. However, many migrants will remain unable to access any support.

Aside from permitted ‘essential services’, other companies have applied for exemptions to continue operations (19,000 construction companies applied alone). While the Malaysian government has announced that all workers in businesses that have been permitted to stay operational must be tested for COVID-19, there are concerns for the labour conditions under which migrants are being forced to work in during the pandemic. For example, operations at the country’s timber mills have left thousands of migrants fearing for their health and safety as workers currently “feel like they’re being made to choose between COVID-19 or starvation”.

One of the most problematic ‘essential production’ sectors is the glove-making industry. Malaysia manufactures an estimated two-thirds of disposable rubber gloves worldwide, and the production lines are largely staffed with migrants from Nepal and Bangladesh. This sector was accused in 2018 of forced labour and of subjecting its migrant workforce to extremely long working hours, while withholding their wages and passports. These accusations prompted investigations into labour conditions at the Malaysian companies WRP Asia-Pacific and Top Glove by the UK’s National Health Service Supply Chain and by the US. These investigations culminated in the US banning imports from WRP in October 2019 citing evidence of forced labour. However, given the current spike in demand for disposable gloves and other personal protective equipment (PPE), the US lifted the ban in March 2020 stating that forced labour was no longer an issue. The EU has also offered tax incentives to Malaysian companies to supply PPE. During this pandemic it seems that governments seeking to secure PPE for their frontline healthcare workers are overlooking the ongoing concerns (outlined by Andy Hall here) surrounding the ‘slave-like’ cramped working and living conditions experienced by the migrant workers who manufacture the gloves. Adrian Pereira, from North-South Initiative, argues that the demand for the continued manufacturing of PPE sees “the EU putting both migrant and Malaysian workers at risk of forced labour”.

Finally, as some companies reportedly continue to operate without government approval during the lockdown, migrants may be compelled to continue coming into work with no guarantees for their safety. The Malaysian Trade Union Congress has received 500 complaints against employers who have continued operations despite the MCO, with some reportedly threatening to fire employees who refuse to come to work, including in some non-essential factories.

This is a part of a blog post by Laura Foley and Nicola Piper.

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The Challenges Faced by Malaysia Migration Workforce during COVID-19

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Malaysia is heavily dependent on the labour of both documented and undocumented migration workers who are affected by Covid-19.

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SEOUL, Oct 18 (Reuters) - South Korea on Monday officially committed to reducing national carbon emissions by 40% of 2018 levels by 2030 ahead of the upcoming U.N. COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, a "very challenging target" compared to an initial 26.3% goal.

Last year, President Moon Jae-in pledged the country would be carbon neutral by 2050 and unveiled a Green New Deal to create jobs and help the economy recover from the coronavirus pandemic. read more

South Korea is one of the world's most fossil-fuel reliant economies, with coal making up over 41% of the country's electricity mix and renewable power just over 6%.

The revised nationally determined contribution (NDC) is a "very challenging target" for South Korea compared to developed nations that have already been cutting emissions from the 1990s, Moon told a presidential committee meeting on carbon neutrality.

"This is the most ambitious reduction target possible under our circumstances," he said.

An investment of 12 trillion won ($10.11 billion) had been allotted for next year's carbon neutrality budget, he added.

The government aims to shift industry to minimise carbon emissions by halving coal-fired power generation from 41.9% to 21.8% by 2030 and raising renewables from 6.2% to 30.2%, it said in a statement.

South Korea aims to put 4.50 million electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles on its roads by 2025, the statement said, while adding more charging stations and infrastructure.

Environmental groups criticised the goals as too low. Justin Jeong, Greenpeace climate and energy campaigner, told Reuters the target should be raised to over 50% to meet the international goals.

COP26, which begins on Oct. 31, aims to secure more ambitious action from the nearly 200 countries that signed the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global warming to well below 2.0 degrees Celsius - and preferably to 1.5C (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) - above pre-industrial levels. read more

($1 = 1,187.1900 won)

Reporting by Sangmi Cha; Editing by Nick Macfie

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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S.Korea commits to 'challenging goal' of cutting emissions to 40% of 2018 levels by 2030

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SEOUL, Oct 18 (Reuters) - South Korea on Monday officially committed to reducing national carbon emissions by 40% of 2018 levels by 2030 ahead of the upcoming U.N. COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, a "very challenging target" compared to an initial 26.3% goal.

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https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/002/0002244969?sid=104

https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/05/24/russia-ukraine-blockade-food-crisis-black-sea/

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러시아군 조직적 곡물 약탈 의혹도…폴란드 대통령 "북아프리카 식량 위기가 유럽 난민 위기로 번질 수도"

우크라이나 전쟁 여파로 올 11월까지 기아에 직면하는 세계 인구가 19억명에 이를 것이라는 연구가 나온 가운데 세계 지도자들은 식량 위기를 막기 위해 러시아가 우크라이나의 곡물 수출을 방해하는 항구 봉쇄를 풀어야 한다고 촉구하고 있다. 서방이 러시아가 식량을 전쟁 무기로 사용하고 있다며 비난의 목소리를 높이는 와중에 러시아군의 조직적 곡물 약탈 의혹까지 제기되는 상황이다. 우크라이나 쪽은 약탈된 곡물이 크림반도를 통해 수출되고 있다고 주장했다. 흑해 지역 식량 의존도가 높은 북아프리카의 기아 위험이 커지는 가운데 기아 위기가 유럽의 난민 위기로까지 이어질 것이라는 경고가 나온다.

외신을 보면 24일(현지시각) 스위스 다보스에서 개최 중인 세계경제포럼(WEF) 연차총회(다보스포럼)에서 우르줄라 폰데어라이엔 유럽연합(EU) 집행위원장은 "러시아군이 우크라이나 지역의 농기계 등을 빼앗고 흑해 수출항을 봉쇄하고 있다"며 러시아가 에너지와 마찬가지로 식량 공급을 "무기화"하고 있다고 비난했다. 안날레나 베어복 독일 외무장관도 지난 주말 "러시아는 곡물 전쟁을 통해 전쟁을 우크라이나에서 다른 많은 국가들로 확대하고 있다"며 식량 위기는 전쟁으로 인한 "부수적 피해가 아니라, 대러시아 결집을 약화시키기 위한 하이브리드 전쟁의 도구"라고 러시아를 비난했다.

러시아와 우크라이나는 세계 밀 공급의 30%를 담당해 항구 봉쇄는 그 자체로도 세계 식량 공급에 위협이 되지만, 특히 인도주의기구인 유엔세계식량계획(WFP)이 필요한 밀의 50%를 우크라이나에서 조달하는 등 구호식량으로서의 역할도 커 빈곤국의 식량 위기를 가중시키고 있다. 우크라이나 농업부는 흑해 봉쇄로 1400만톤의 옥수수, 700톤의 밀, 300만톤의 해바라기씨유가 출하되지 못했다고 밝혔다.

19일 유엔안전보장이사회에서 "우크라이나 항구를 여는 데 실패하는 것은 세계 식량 안보에 대한 선전포고가 될 것"이라고 경고한 유엔세계식량계획(WFP) 사무총장 데이비드 비즐리는 23일 <AP> 통신과의 인터뷰에서 이 곡물들이 시장에 나오지 않는다면 세계는 향후 10달~12달 안에 식량 가용성 문제에 직면하게 될 것이라고 내다봤다. 그는 예멘·레바논·이집트 등 43개국 4900만명이 기근의 문턱에 있다고 덧붙였다. G7 재무장관들도 지난주 독일 본에서 열린 재무장관회의 뒤 공동성명에서 농산물 수출을 가능하게 하기 위해 "러시아는 즉시 우크라이나의 주요 운송수단에 대한 공격을 멈추라"고 요구했다.

현재 러시아는 흑해 북부 아조우해를 장악한 상태고 우크라이나는 주요 물동항인 오데사에 대한 통제권을 아직 유지하고 있지만 러시아가 오데사를 미사일로 공격하고 있는 데다 주변 해양에 기뢰가 포진해 있어 곡물 수출을 위한 선박 출항이 불가능한 상태다.

항구가 막혀 철도 등 다른 수단을 통해 곡물이 운송되고 있긴 하지만 선박에 비해 수송 용량이 적어 필요한 양을 채우기에는 역부족이라는 평가가 나온다. 우크라이나의 많은 철도, 도로, 교량이 러시아의 공격으로 파괴된 상태고 주변국 간 사용하는 철도 시스템이 다른 것도 문제다. 미국 CNN 방송은 17일 복수의 소식통을 인용해 중립적인 UN 표시 선박을 활용해 해상운송을 시도하는 것도 고려하고 있다고 전했다. 매체는 그러나 미국과 유럽의 몇몇 외교관들은 러시아가 호전적 태도를 보이는 상황에서 이 같은 시도가 효율적일지에 대한 우려를 표하고 있다고 지적했다. 군함을 보내 수송선을 호위하자는 얘기도 나오지만 러시아와 포격전을 벌일 가능성이 있어 이 또한 몹시 위험하다는 평가다.

우크라 "러, 농산물 약탈해 크림 통해 수출" 의혹 제기도

수출항 봉쇄뿐 아니라 곡물을 약탈하고 농기구를 압수하는 등 러시아가 적극적으로 식량 공급을 방해한다는 의혹도 제기된다. 우크라이나 국방부는 러시아군에 도난당한 곡물이 40만톤에 이를 것으로 추정하고 있다. CNN은 목격 증언과 영상 등을 통해 러시아군이 약탈한 곡물을 크림반도 방향으로 운송하고 있다고 보도했다. 러시아 쪽은 곡물 약탈에 대해 부인하고 있다.

우크라이나 정부는 러시아가 조직적으로 곡물을 훔쳐 크림반도를 통해 수출하고 있다고 주장했다. 우크라이나 <인테르팍스> 통신을 보면 9일 미콜라 솔스키 우크라이나 농업 장관은 브리핑에서 최근 몇 년 간 크림반도에서 곡물 수출이 없었다며 "(크림반도에 위치한) 세바스토폴에서 곡물을 싣고 출항하는 거의 모든 배가 우크라이나에서 훔친 곡물을 적재하고 있다고 생각한다"고 말했다. 러시아가 2014년 침공해 병합한 크림반도에서는 곡물이 거의 생산되지 않는다.

CNN은 곡물값이 급등한 상황에서 이는 "매력적인 상품"이라며 올레그 니비에우스키 키이우 경제대학원 교수를 인용해 "중동 국가들은 곡물의 출처가 우크라이나인 것은 신경쓰지 않고 러시아로부터 기꺼이 20% 할인된 가격에 곡물을 구매할 것"이라고 보도했다.

이밖에 전투로 인한 농경지의 직접적 피해, 연료 시설 공격으로 인한 농기구 운행 중단, 러시아군이 곳곳에 남기고 간 지뢰 등으로 농사 자체를 짓기 어렵다는 호소가 나온다.

식량 공급 부족에 대한 우려로 식량값이 폭등해 이미 우크라이나와 러시아 등 흑해 지역 식량에 의존하는 북아프리카 지역 국가의 위기감은 심각한 상황이다. 더구나 식량 부족분을 채워줄 것으로 기대되던 인도가 이달 가뭄 등을 이유로 돌연 밀 수출을 금지하는 등 각 국이 식량 국외 반출을 단속하는 움직임이 이어지면서 공급 부족이 더욱 심화될 것이라는 전망이 나온다. 세계은행(WB)은 지난달 말 발간한 보고서에서 식품 가격이 2008년 이후 가장 큰 폭으로 올랐다고 지적하며, 생필품 가격 상승이 "저소득 가계에 가장 큰 타격을 줄 것"이라고 우려했다. 세계은행은 올해 밀값이 40% 오르는 것을 비롯해 전반적인 식량 가격 상승률이 22.9%에 달할 것으로 봤다.

국제사회는 기아에 대한 경고를 멈추지 않고 있다. 미국 싱크탱크 유라시아그룹은 데브리BV지속가능전략과 함께 24일 미국 뉴욕에서 열린 빈곤 퇴치를 위한 긴급 모임인 글로벌시티즌나우 회담에서 우크라이나 전쟁 등의 여파로 전 세계적으로 식량 불안정에 직면한 인구가 2억4300만명 증가해 11월까지 19억명에 이를 것이라는 전망을 내놨다. 24일 그랜트 샙스 영국 교통장관은 러시아의 우크라이나 침공으로 촉발된 식량 공급 부족이 "전쟁으로 인한 직접적 희생자보다 더 많은 생명을 앗아갈 수 있다"고 말했다.

북아프리카를 중심으로 한 기아 위기는 결국 유럽의 난민 위기도 심화시킬 것이라는 지적도 나왔다. 안제이 두다 폴란드 대통령은 24일 다보스 포럼에서 "북아프리카의 기아는 스페인과 남유럽에 이주 문제를 양산할 것"이라며 "우크라이나의 곡물 수출을 가능하게 하는 데 집중해야 한다"고 말했다. 북아프리카는 내전과 빈곤을 피해 지중해를 통한 남유럽 이주를 시도하는 아프리카 이주민들의 통로가 되고 있으며 국제이주기구(IMO)에 따르면이 과정에서 올해 4월11일까지 526명 이상이 지중해에서 실종 또는 사망했다.

▲지난 10일(현지시각) 우크라이나 남부 항구도시 오데사의 한 쇼핑몰 앞에 흩어져 있는 러시아군 미사일 파편 옆을 한 남성이 지나가고 있다. 러시아군은 전날 극초음속 미사일로 오데사를 공격했다. ⓒAFP=연합뉴스

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연말 세계 기아 인구 19억 예상…”러, 흑해 봉쇄 풀어야”

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러시아군 조직적 곡물 약탈 의혹도…폴란드 대통령 ”북아프리카 식량 위기가 유럽 난민 위기로 번질 수도” 우크라이나 전쟁 여파로 올 11월까지 기아에 직면하는 세계 인구가 19억명에 이를 것이라는 연구가 나온 가운데

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Malaysia's resources and strategic location has made Malaysia a major destination country for migrants from Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and African countries. Majority of migration to Malaysia is due to economic opportunities while a substantial number of irregular and vulnerable migrants come to Malaysia seeking protection from violence, persecution and violations in their home country.

Malaysia is also recognised as a destination and a transit country for trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, with migrants often falling prey to unscrupulous recruiters which leaves them stranded and undocumented.

Between 2018 to 2020, the Malaysian government officially estimated that the country hosted approximately 1.4 to 2 million documented migrants, and unofficial estimates of 1.2 to 3.5 million additional migrants (as reported by the World Bank) - thus making Malaysia the largest migrant-receiving country in Southeast Asia. The migrant workers are from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, and other Asian countries in smaller numbers including India, Cambodia, and Lao PDR; and engaged in industries including manufacturing, plantation, agriculture, services (hospitality and security), and domestic work. Labour migrants in these corridors are key contributors to the economies of both Malaysia and their countries of origin, representing an estimated 20 per cent of the Malaysian workforce (ILO) and dominating low-skilled and semi-skilled jobs. The presence of regular migrants also requires their employers to pay into health and insurance government programmes, which support social protection schemes, among other benefits to the overall Malaysia economy.

As of December 2021, a total of 180,440 refugees and asylum seekers were registered by UNHCR. The vast majority, 86 per cent, are from Myanmar comprising Rohingya, Chin and other ethnic groups. The Rohingya group makes up 57 per cent or 103,380 of the total refugee population in Malaysia. The remaining refugees originate from countries including Pakistan, Yemen, Syria, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Sri Lanka, among others.

IOM Malaysia's resettlement assistance includes supporting resettlement countries to arrange interviews, making travel arrangements, coordinating with IOM offices in resettlement receiving countries, assisting with exit formalities, and organizing departure and transit assistance at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

IOM Malaysia's medical team conducts health assessments for all refugees who have been accepted for resettlement to a third country. These include physical examinations that assess their health status and identify any significant medical conditions, which may require treatment prior to their departure; medical follow-ups and special care after their resettlement; and provision of health education and vaccination. The medical team also provides pre-embarkation checks for migrants who are traveling under IOM auspices.

Within the United Nations Country Team (UNCT), IOM Malaysia has collaborated with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) in advocating to the government through Malaysia's COVID-19 Immunization Task Force; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation; and Ministry of Home Affairs to include non-citizens, including those with no documentation in the national immunization programme. The UN advocacy and engagement effort includes presenting possible solutions on ways to include migrants without threat of arrest and detention and to create an enabling environment, collaborating with NGOs to reach out to migrants in local languages, and providing mobile vaccination centres that migrants and refugees feel comfortable approaching, without requiring an identification document to receive the vaccination.

IOM Malaysia's Counter Trafficking and Immigration and Border Management initiatives are in support of the Government's efforts to combat trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants which include capacity building activities for relevant authorities and the provision of direct assistance to vulnerable migrants, including victims of trafficking.

The Corporate Responsibility in Eliminating Slavery and Trafficking (CREST) initiative works with private and public sector actors to realize their potential in upholding human and labour rights of migrant workers in business operations and supply chains with the aim to protect migrant workers.

IOM Malaysia's cultural orientation team provides classes to refugees bound for a resettlement country, covering topics such as how to take a flight, cultural adaptation, information about on-arrival assistance, education, personal health and healthcare systems, how to get a job, general laws as well as individual rights and responsibilities.

Careers and Procurement Opportunities

Contact information

International Organization for Migration (IOM)

Malaysia 570, Jalan Bukit Petaling

50460 Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia

Tel: +603 9235 5400

Fax: +603 2145 1094

Email: iomkualalumpur@iom.int

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IOMMalaysia

If you have been accepted for resettlement and want to provide updated information to IOM Malaysia, you may email IOM Resettlement and Movement Management unit at iomkulinq@iom.int or call +603 9235 5400. For protection and assistance and other inquiries, please contact UNHCR directly through the web pages on the UNHCR website https://refugeemalaysia.org/contact/

If you have any inquiries or require support and assistance for matters related to assisted voluntary return and reintegration (AVRR), kindly email myinquiries@iom.int

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Malaysia's resources and strategic location has made Malaysia a major destination country for migrants from Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and African countries. Majority of migration to Malaysia is due to economic opportunities while a substantial number of irregular and vulnerable migrants come to Malaysia seeking protection from violence, persecution and violations in their home country.

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Having operated for more than a year, the Office of the Children's Commissioner (OCC) have identified statelessness among children, as a critical issue of utmost importance. First and foremost, the classification of 'stateless' without any identity and identification is an infringement of Article 8 of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), while reservation of Article 7, the right to nationality should be lifted by Malaysia. Stateless children are deprived of their right to education as current laws only allow citizen children to attend public schools. Non-citizen children are burdened with expensive school fees or forced to attend alternative schools which are unable to provide standardised and quality education. Stateless children are also denied free medical care, easily exploited and abused. Above all, they are unable to voice their predicaments and are continuously discriminated.

From the consultations and dialogues organized by the OCC with governmental and non-governmental organisations on this issue, there are three main reasons why stateless children exist in Malaysia. First, due to irregularity of marriage which leads to unregistered births (discrimination on children born out of wedlock); second, on the issue of inconsistency of procedures at the National Registration Department (NRD) at the district and state level; and third, the laws referred for the subject matter, i.e., the Federal Constitution (FC) and the Adoption Act 1952, are needed to be reformed.

For Sabah and Sarawak, both states carry additional issues wherein their extensive geographical land areas have limited rural people from both states access to the registration office located in the city. Furthermore, for Sarawak, the Special Committee (JKK) which was established prior to year 2018 to review the application for citizenship had been dissolved and is no longer active.

Among the ways found to solve the issue are:

(i) There should be more awareness programmes conducted to raise awareness among the society on the importance of regularisation of marriage;
(ii) The Ministry of Home Affairs must execute the Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) which was already established on 1 January 2020 to expedite the citizenship's application process;

(iii) All the NRD branches whether at Federal or State level must reform and standardise their administrative system to avoid inconsistency in their procedures;

(iv) Article 14(1)(b) and Second Schedule, Part II, Section 1 (b) and Section 17 in the FC must be reformed to prevent statelessness among children; and
(v) The Adoption Act 1952 must be reviewed to allow the adopted child to have the same rights as the biological child of the adoptive parents.

The OCC is determined to pursue all the above solutions to ensure the issue will be resolved by 2023.

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Having operated for more than a year, the Office of the Children's Commissioner (OCC) have identified statelessness among children, as a critical issue of utmost importance. First and foremost, the classification of 'stateless' without any identity and identification is an infringement of Article 8 of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child [...]

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According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 (CRC), every child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the right from birth to a name and the right to acquire a nationality. Unfortunately, according to a report - a child born in Malaysia does not automatically obtain Malaysian citizenship, which has led to many stateless children who are sometimes referred to as ' undocumented children ' in the country.

In 2016, the former home minister of Malaysia, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi estimated that there are around 290,000 stateless children in the country. However, it is unclear of the exact number of stateless individuals given the nature of the problem. Contrary to popular belief, many people who are stateless in Malaysia are not foreigners, refugees or "illegal migrants"; many of them were actually born in the country and have been living in Malaysia most of their lives, according to local media reports.

There are several factors leading to the creation of stateless children in Malaysia - failure of marriage registration by their parents, unregistered births, adopted or abandoned children, and children of refugees and undocumented migrants.

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Who are Malaysia's Stateless Children? - Blog

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According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 (CRC), every child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the right from birth to a name and the right to acquire a nationality.

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Voice of the Children, a member of Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage and a member of the Child Rights Coalition Malaysia, spoke to us about the situation of child marriage in Malaysia.
It is difficult to know exactly how many children are affected by child marriage in Malaysia. The numbers suggest that it is a common practice among Muslims as well as indigenous communities; however it is also prevalent amongst the Indian and Chinese communities.

In 2000, the census showed that child marriage affected 6,800 girls below the age of 15 as well as 4,600 boys in Malaysia. Of those girls, 2,450 were Malay, 1,550 Indigenous, 1,600 Chinese, 600 Indians, and 600 others. Subsequent censuses did not collect such information so it is hard to gauge the true extent of the practice.

In 2010, a United Nations report showed that over 82,000 married women in Malaysia were girls between the ages of 15 and 19. To make matters worse, the Deputy Minister for Women revealed that, for that same year, nearly 16,000 girls below the age of 15 were in a marriage.

The true scale of child marriage in Malaysia may, however, be even higher as many couples who take part in religious or customary weddings do not register their unions.

Malaysia has a dual legal system, which means that the minimum age of marriage can be determined by either civil law or Syariah (Islamic) law. This creates a situation where it is difficult to have a consistent definition of what age you are a child until and what constitutes child marriage.

As a rule, non-Muslims may only marry from the age 18, but girls can be married as early as 16 provided they or their parents have the permission of the State Chief Minister.

The majority of the population in Malaysia are Muslims. According to Syariah law in the country, the minimum age of marriage is 16 for girls and 18 for boys. Crucially, exceptions can be made for girls or boys to marry at a much younger age as long as they obtain Islamic courts' consent. And data, while sparse, shows that girls are most affected by these legal exceptions. For instance, this can be seen in the state of Kedah where underage marriage applications increased by 35% between 2008 and 2010. Over 90% of those applications involved girls younger than 16.

Unwanted, early pregnancies contribute to the prevalence of child marriage in Malaysia. A high number of Muslim teens marry just before they are of legal age to marry, which indicates some haste to wed before a pregnancy progresses.

Religious beliefs as well as the taboo around sex outside of marriage play a major role too. When asked why they consented to their daughter's marriage, parents often explain that girls are "too wild" and beyond control and that marriage is the best solution to protect them from themselves.

In poorer communities, many girls make the sacrifice of getting married at a young age to ensure their families' economic survival.

It is difficult for organisations coming from an urban setting to challenge the traditions and cultural practices of various communities, as they are perceived as lacking the credibility and experience needed for this context.

The close link with Islam makes child marriage a taboo issue to raise - non Muslims are perceived as ill-informed to raise this issue and avenues for discussion are extremely limited.

As members of the national Child Rights Coalition, we advocate for better protection of children and, through our online advocacy in particular, we stress that marriages between a child and an adult are a violation of a child's rights.

We are following the work of researchers, which will help us build a solid case against child marriage. This will lead to an understanding of the extent and consequences of the practice in Malaysia. We also plan to work with organisations for specific insights into the various communities involved.

We hope that this above knowledge will give us enough tools to develop an advocacy plan for child marriages, why it happens in Malaysia and how to address it.

Due to the close links between child marriage and Islam, a working relationship with Muslim organisations and policymakers who speak out against the practice are likely to have the strongest influence.

As part of Child Rights Coalition Malaysia, we urge the Malaysian government to amend the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce Act) 1976 as well as Islamic Family laws to set the minimum age of marriage at 18 for all, regardless of religion and with no exception.

Until this reform takes place, the government should establish a register to monitor underage marriages and document the reasons why the courts or the Chief Minister granted this permission.

The government should work with civil society to improve public awareness of the dangers of child marriage for girls' education and health, and train judges and those involved in administering child marriages to understand how the practice violates the human rights of the child.

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Child marriage in Malaysia, a child rights issue

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Voice of the Children, a member of Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage and a member of the Child Rights Coalition Malaysia, spoke to us about the situation of child marriage in Malaysia. It is difficult to know exactly how many children are affected by child marriage in Malaysia.

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KUALA LUMPUR, December 18, 2015 – Malaysia’s growth is projected to remain at 4.7 percent in 2015, easing to 4.5 percent in 2016. This outlook reflects some slowdown in domestic demand in the course of 2015 from tighter fiscal conditions, which are expected to continue in 2016-17, a new World Bank report states. Overall, domestic demand is projected to grow, remaining the main driver of growth in a context of soft global demand.

The World Bank’s Malaysia Economic Monitor, launched today, focuses on the critical role that immigrant labor plays in filling important gaps in low- and mid-skilled jobs, helping both to raise the country’s GDP and to create jobs for Malaysians.

“Immigrant labor can bring critical skills and help Malaysia become a high-income inclusive economy," says Ulrich Zachau, World Bank Country Director for Malaysia and Southeast Asia. "Strengthened immigration policies and management will be important to achieve this goal - a system that effectively links immigration to the labor demand of businesses in Malaysia, supports immigrant workers in making the most productive contribution to the economy possible, and protects both low-skilled Malaysian and vulnerable immigrant workers. International experience shows that achieving such balance is difficult, but possible. ”

Malaysia’s relatively open immigration policy has reinforced Malaysia’s conducive business environment, making it a very attractive investment destination.  The report finds that low-skilled immigrants can create additional jobs by filling workforce gaps not filled by Malaysian workers, reduce production costs, help expand output and exports, and raise the demand for both unskilled employment and higher-skilled Malaysians.  Economic modelling suggests that a 10 percent net increase in low-skilled foreign workers may increase real GDP by up to 1.1 percent.  Also, for every 10 new immigrant workers in a given state and sector, up to five new jobs may be created for Malaysians in that state and sector, two of them female.

“Effective human capital management is a key priority in Malaysia's achievement of high income economy status by 2020,” says Dato’ Sri Abdul Wahid Omar, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department. “As addressed in the 11th Malaysia Plan, an accurate assessment of talent supply and demand as well as the economic costs and benefits associated with the employment of immigrant labor is crucial to understanding how Malaysia can leverage immigration policy to achieve this goal.  Productivity is a key to delivering the 11th Plan growth targets, where labor productivity is targeted to expand by 3.7% annually on average. To boost multi-factor productivity as a significant source of growth, industries will be encouraged to automate and innovate, and industry-led technical and vocational education and training (TVET) will be strengthened. In addition, reducing our dependence on low-cost and low-skilled immigrant labor will go a long way to generate a productivity-driven production base. With greater productivity and high-income jobs, this would ensure our goal to raise the compensation of employees to GDP to 40% by 2020 from 34.9% in 2015 is achieved.”

While immigrant labor generates employment and slightly increases the wages of most Malaysians, it also is estimated to reduce salaries of immigrant workers already in the country by close to four percent, and wages of the least educated Malaysians (around 14 percent of the total labor force) by around three quarters of one percent.  The report finds no significant impact of immigrant labor on total labor force participation or unemployment.

How can Malaysia strengthen its immigration system?  The report considers six possible directions for reform:

1. Aligning the institutional and legislative framework with the human resource development strategy;

2. Establishing an evidence-based system for identifying labor market shortages that immigrant labor can fill;

3. Adopting a live-levy system that responds to labor market needs identified in the evidence-based system;

4. Using a broader set of criteria to categorize immigrants (i.e. skills, experience) and defining approaches for their recruitment, employment, and repatriation;

5. Strengthening monitoring and enforcement of immigration and labor regulations; and

6. Investing in upskilling the unskilled workforce, and promoting productivity-enhancing technology.

“The Government has generally responded to on-going external challenges with a reasonable mix of macro policies” says Rafael Munoz Moreno, Senior Country Economist for Malaysia. “With uncertain global growth and constrained policy options, Malaysia can now consider structural reforms to raise output potential and to boost investor sentiment.”

The World Bank report notes that, with slower growth and falling oil revenues, a focus on the quality of public expenditure will be an important priority for Malaysia.  The report also highlights the recent conclusion of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement as an important commitment on structural reforms that may further increase output potential in the medium term.

The Malaysia Economic Monitor series provides an analytical perspective on the policy challenges facing Malaysia as it grows into a high-income economy. The series also represents an effort to reach out to a broad audience, including policymakers, private sector leaders, market participants, civil society, and academia.​

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Reforms Can Optimize the Role of Immigration in Malaysia’s Development, World Bank Says

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World Bank’s Dec. 2015 Malaysia Economic Monitor says Malaysia’s growth is likely to stay at 4.7% in 2015, easing to 4.5% in 2016

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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-13793060

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LEARNING loss as a result of school closures during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic is a concern that warrants attention and action. According to a World Bank report released in June last year, there could be a global loss of up to 0.9 years of schooling adjusted for quality after seven months of school closures due to the pandemic. Even as schools have begun to reopen all around the world, such learning loss continues to accumulate, says Rakan Tutor, a local non-profit organisation fighting educational inequality by offering free one-to-one tutoring.

Citing the 2005 Hurricane Katrina in the United States as an example, it said students fell behind in their learning by two years, having missed just six to 12 months of schooling.

In Malaysia, the abrupt shift from traditional classroom instruction to home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) has seen several emerging issues.

Due to the unprecedented disruption, both teachers and students were unprepared for PdPR, leading to reports of low student engagement.

In addition, poor accessibility to digital devices and Internet connectivity remains a major obstacle, causing students to miss out on regular and supplementary online classes and materials.

The situation is exacerbated by existing disparities and inequalities in learning and educational outcomes among different income groups. Based on a United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) Malaysia report in October last year, while wealthy students were paying for private tutoring to catch up on lost learning, 50 to 60% of low-income households faced difficulties in paying tuition fees.

Statistics from the Education Ministry released on Oct 11, 2020, showed that primary school dropouts rose to 0.13% last year compared to 0.12% in 2019, while the dropouts among secondary school students increased to 1.26% last year from 1.14% previously.

More recently, there have been reports of PdPR or Zoom fatigue, as students spend hours facing a digital screen with minimal kinaesthetic learning or social interaction.

A survey on National Education Responses to Covid-19 School Closures conducted by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), Unicef, the World Bank, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found that strategies to support students in catching up on learning loss in Malaysia remain uncertain, including increasing class times when schools reopen, and introducing remedial or accelerated programmes.

In view of these issues, several non-profit organisations such as Rakan Tutor have stepped up to bridge the learning gap. Led by youths, these initiatives offer free supplementary lessons, as well as mentoring and career guidance, for students from B40 families.

Even as schools have resumed physical lessons in stages beginning Oct 3, and with tertiary institutions reopening their doors from Oct 15, these efforts are crucial in empowering students to achieve their fullest potential, especially with rotational teaching and PdPR expected to continue in the coming weeks.

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LEARNING loss as a result of school closures during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic is a concern that warrants attention and action. According to a World Bank report released in June last year, there could be a global loss of up to 0.9 years of schooling adjusted for quality after seven months of school closures due to the pandemic.

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THE government has made tremendous efforts through the New Economic Policy and the National Plan to close the income inequality gap among Malaysians, ...

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http://m.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20220525000695&ACE_SEARCH=1

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With just seven days left until the local elections and parliamentary by-elections on June 1, latest public opinion surveys are hinting a clear lead for the ruling People Power Party and its candidates in many regions.

Out of 17 metropolitan mayoral and gubernatorial elections, the People Power Party has shown a strong lead in 10 of the posts, comparted to four for the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. The prospects are still uncertain for three out of the 17 major posts.

The country on June 1 will also choose 226 new heads of local administrative units as well as 3,381 new members of metropolitan, provincial, city, county and municipal district councils. Seven constituencies will be electing new lawmakers to represent them at the National Assembly.

Poll results revealed Wednesday are the last surveys that will be allowed for release ahead of the June 1 elections, as the National Election Commission prohibits releasing election poll results from six days before the day of election.

The election watchdog's official guideline says that the purpose of prohibiting the announcement is to "prevent the possibility of an announcement influencing the elections and distorting the will of voters, therefore hampering the fairness of an election."

Greater capital region

The People Power Party has maintained a strong lead in the mayoral elections for Seoul and Incheon, where its candidates maintained the lead in all public opinion surveys released thus far.

Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party candidate running to serve for the fourth time as Seoul mayor, has always stayed ahead of Democratic Party rival Song Young-gil by more than 10 percentage points.

At one point, Oh was ahead of Song by 32.7 percentage points, and the smallest difference between the two was 10.4 percentage points marked from a Saturday-Sunday survey.

The Incheon mayor election also looks to pan out in a similar manner, despite being in a smaller margin of difference. Yoo Jeong-bok of the People Power Party has never fallen behind Park Nam-choon of the Democratic Party in poll results, despite Park being the incumbent mayor for the city.

Yet the race is still tight for the Gyeonggi Province gubernatorial election, partly because resident's loyalties still lie with Lee Jae-myung, the former Gyeonggi Province governor who made an unsuccessful bid for presidency in March.

Kim Eun-hye, flagbearer for the ruling party in the gubernatorial election, was seen to be leading five out of eight opinion surveys released since Sunday, while her rival, Kim Dong-yeon of the Democratic Party, was leading in the remaining three.

But the margin of difference between them in these surveys are slim, indicating the race remains uncertain for either candidates.

Another heated two-way race is underway in the South Chungcheong gubernatorial election between Kim Tae-heum of the ruling party and Yang Seung-jo of the main opposition party.

The People Power Party is in the lead for the Sejong mayoral election for the time being, but many surveys indicated its lead against the Democratic Party is only by a small margin, hinting changes are possible within the remaining days.

Strongholds stay intact

The conservative bloc has traditionally stayed dominant in the so-called Yeongnam region, which is comprised of North Gyeongsang and South Gyeongsang provinces as well as Daegu, Ulsan and Busan.

Candidates with the People Power Party running for metropolitan mayoral and gubernatorial elections there have been maintaining a solid lead in the opinion surveys released thus far, and is unlikely to be overturned unless any mudslinging occurs in the remaining days.

The liberal party also has its stronghold of the Honam region spanning Gwangju and North Jeolla and South Jeolla provinces, and Democratic Party candidates there have been leading all opinion surveys there for weeks. The Democratic Party is also showing a strong lead in the Jeju Province gubernatorial election.

Both parties have been working to narrow the gap in each other's strongholds, but it is unlikely these attempts will turn out successful, as the strongholds are rightfully labeled such way after years of accumulated efforts by political factions to solidify their support bases there.

By-elections outcome also critical

Parliamentary by-elections for seven lawmaker seats to be held on the sidelines of the local elections have also drawn significant attention due to some political heavyweights joining the race.

Ahn Cheol-soo of the People Power Party is running for a constituency in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, and surveys so far have put Ahn in a clear lead over Kim Byoung-kwan of the Democratic Party, as much as by nearly 30 percentage points.

Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party faces an unexpectedly close race for a constituency in Gyeyang-gu of Incheon against Yoon Hyeong-seon of the People Power Party. The survey results have clouded expectations that Lee Jae-myung will easily prevail, paving the way forward for his entry into central politics and a possible presidency bid in 2027.

Voter turnout could sway outcome

With the public's favorable reception toward the new Yoon Suk-yeol administration and the Democratic Party's reputation having taken a hit in recent days, things are looking up for the People Power Party.

Surveys have shown the People Power Party with a clear lead in the North Chungcheong Province gubernatorial election and the Daejeon mayoral race. The party is also favored to prevail in the Gangwon Province gubernatorial election.

Both parties are encouraging voters to cast their ballots, as that is one of the only remaining variables left after public opinion surveys are restricted from being released. Local elections usually see much lower voter turnout than other elections, meaning both parties could be losing votes.

For the People Power Party, a high voter turnout could help its candidates win in highly contested areas like Gyeonggi Province. The party hopes to lock down at least 10 out of 17 major posts in the first election it holds as the country's ruling party.

The Democratic Party on the other hand is in much need of a win after two tough-to-swallow election defeats. Should things turn out badly, the party may have to extensively overhaul its leadership and start fresh to win back public trust.
For more information regarding the survey results, go to the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission homepage.
By Ko Jun-tae ( ko.juntae@heraldcorp.com)

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[KH Explains] Who's winning where for June 1 elections?

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With just seven days left until the local elections and parliamentary by-elections on June 1, latest public opinion surveys are hinting a clear lead for the ruling People Power Party and its candidates in many regions.

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How many high school students have their papers published in academic journals?

The question has prompted headlines in the South Korean media in recent days, following a political scandal.

At the center of the controversy is the daughter of Justice Minister nominee Han Dong-hoon who published five academic papers and four e-books within the space of two months as a high school student.

Reminiscent of a case years ago involving the daughter of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk and the family's efforts to fill her resume with impressive extracurricular activities for college admission, the latest case is provoking soul-searching in a country obsessed with getting a college diploma.

What to make of children of influential parents racking up extracurricular credentials seemingly unattainable for ordinary students?

"For high school students to so easily publish their papers in international journals like what has been seen in recent years used to be unfathomable," economics professor Lee Joon-koo of Seoul National University posted on his Facebook on Friday. The post was titled "Where have all the geniuses gone?" in which he called the students "fake geniuses."

"As for me, I did not finish a single decent paper throughout my entire college (student) years."

Criminality has been found only in the case of Cho's daughter. But questions remain over to what extent the achievements of Han's daughter have been thanks to help from her parents rather than her own doing.

Stellar resumes

Professor Lee, who is the author of "Introduction to Economics" and has taught at many local universities, said it was in the early 2000s -- after the country's college entrance examination system was revised -- that high schoolers who write academic papers while in high school suddenly started to emerge.

Questioning why local academia has not made major advancements in the past 20 years and why he has not met anyone exceptionally smart at his university over the years, he branded these highly qualified students "fake geniuses," a product of the country's ill-advised education system and parents' obsession with elite schools.

Research led by Kang Tae-young, the head of media company Underscore, and Kang Dong-hyun, a Ph.D. student in the University of Chicago's Department of Sociology, seems to support his observation.

According to their analysis, between 2001 and 2021, a total of 558 papers were written or co-written by 980 high school students. At least 70 percent of those who published an academic paper while in high school have not done any further research work after graduating from high school.

It also found that many of the papers were in computer engineering and medicine, subjects not offered as part of regular secondary education.

Critics says the competition to get into top university has produced near-perfect students boasting impeccable records in leadership skills, volunteer work and academic achievements.

South Korea took a major shift in direction to reduce the college entrance system's reliance on one standardized written exam administered by the state educational authorities in 2001. This resulted in a greater emphasis on an applicant's resume of extracurricular activities.

It was against this backdrop that the business of college admission consulting came to thrive, offering programs designed to help clients get into prestigious universities.

Those with an eye on universities in the United States or elsewhere sought the help of former admissions officers and professional consultants specialized in foreign schools.

These businesses, some of whom charge hefty sums, have faced criticism that they are designed for the rich to pass on their education and disrupt efforts to achieve equal footing in education. Education authorities have introduced measures in the past to crack down on consulting firms offering ghost writing services.

Some have drawn comparisons between this and the case involving the daughter of former Justice Minister Cho.

In April, Pusan National University finalized its decision to cancel the admission of Cho's daughter into its medical school because of forged documents used in her application.

One of her first credentials to come into question was a pathology research paper published in an international medical journal. The paper listed Cho's daughter as the first author despite the study needing ethical review board approval and her being a high school student at the time. The paper was later retracted after the corresponding author admitted the study did not have ethical approval and the co-authors did not make relevant contributions to the study.

In a statement on Sunday, groups including Professors for Democracy, called on Han's nomination as justice minister to be withdrawn over the issues regarding his daughter.

It said that some of the papers written by Han's daughter were published in "predatory journals." ABC Research Alert and Asian Journal of Humanity, Art and Literature -- two of journals in which Han's daughter have published papers -- have been flagged by Cabell's Blacklist, a list of deceptive or predatory journals, according to reporting by local media outlet Newstapa.

By publishing in predatory journals, Han's family has contributed to disrupting the scholarly publishing ecosystem, the groups said in a joint statement.

"For years, we saw many high-ranking nominees for public office forced out of their position over unethical research practices or stay in office despite controversies," they said.

Real-life 'Sky Castle'

A 2019 TV series "Sky Castle" touched upon South Korea's education craze. The award-winning hit show laid bare the dark side of the country's obsession with elite schools, featuring wealthy tiger moms who are the wives of doctors and an ex-politician.

Han Seo-jin, played by actress Yum Jung-ah, is a woman desperate for her daughter to be accepted into Seoul National University's School of Medicine in hopes of winning the approval of her own mother-in-law. In doing so, Han hires an elite university admissions coordinator whose cut-throat approach to education later backfires.

In the show, another family learns that their daughter lied about attending Harvard University for a year and that she had faked admission to the Ivy League school. She confessed that she lied because of pressure from her father.

The show entered the political debate over academic credentials this week as a pop culture reference.

In a radio interview, Rep. Jang Kyung-tae of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea argued that if former Justice Minister Cho was a real-life Sky Castle case, Justice Minister nominee Han's daughter was "Ivy Castle," seemingly referring to Ivy League institutions. He suggested that Han's daughter, who attends an international school in South Korea, may have written those papers to build her resume that would use when applying for US school admissions later on.

Sky in the show's title refers to Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University -- three of the country's top universities.

By Yim Hyun-su ( hyunsu@heraldcorp.com)

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[Newsmaker] 'Fake geniuses' highlight S. Korean elite's obsession with top schools

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How many high school students have their papers published in academic journals? The question has prompted headlines in the South Korean media in recent days, following a political scandal. At the center of the controversy is the daughter of Justice Minister nominee Han Dong-hoon who published five academic papers and four e-books within the space of two months as a high school student.

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First of all, my name is Minchae Kim. Just call me Minchae or Ming! Ming is the nickname which my friends call me. It is made with my name "min" and they added "g" to make it cuter.
Also, I am 17 years old and I live in korea. I am in grade 10th at yeongjong high school.
What do you like to do in your free time? For me, I like to dance, bake, and listen to BTS songs. I am in a dance club in school. Actually not for now...because I want to focus on studying. But I still like to dance. Also, I like to eat desserts so I studied baking cookies to eat lol. I believe you would know BTS. My favorite singer is BTS. They very famous now but I have loved them for 6 years. Quite long, right? Even I have heard their songs for 6 years, I cannot get out of their charm.
I am so glad to contact with you everyone and I feel more excited with this international exchange class because I used to live in malaysia. I hope we can enjoy and communicate each other.

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Seoul(CNN) On the same street corner in Seoul where 10,000 South Korean women rallied last October to demand an end to spy cameras and sexual violence, the leader of a new activist group addressed a small group of angry young men.

"We are a group for legal justice, anti-hate, and true gender equality," Moon Sung-ho boomed into a microphone to a crowd of a few dozen men waving placards.

As feminist issues come to the fore in deeply patriarchal South Korea, there's a growing discontent among young men thatthey're being left behind. Moon, who leads Dang Dang We, a group "fighting for justice for men," is one of them.

He started his group last year after a 39-year-old business owner was sentenced to six months in prison for grabbing a woman's buttocks in a Korean soup restaurant. The case provoked outrage that a man could be convicted on no evidence beyond the victim's claims.

While some lashed out at the judge, 29-year-old Moon found another culprit: feminism. Moon and his group held a panel discussion at the National Assembly, Korea's top legislature, in early September, to expose what they perceive to be the alleged harms of the movement.

"Feminism is no longer about gender equality. It is gender discrimination and its manner is violent and hateful," he said to applause from his audience of about 40, mostly young, men.

"I don't support the #MeToo movement"

The emergence of mainstream feminist voices and ideas came in response to the brutal murder of a young woman near a subway station in trendy Seoul neighborhood, Gangnam, in 2016. The perpetratordeliberately targeted a female victim.

The woman's death triggered an examination of attitudes towards women in the country, which broadened to include campaigns against sexual harassment, like the #MeToo movement and anti-spy cam protests, dubbed #mylifeisnotyourporn.

To many, the discussion was long overdue in male orientated South Korea, which ranks well below the global average on the 2018 Global Gender Gap report, with major disparities in terms of wage equality and earned income for women.

Campaigners found support from the South Korean government and President Moon Jae-In, who vowed to "become a feminist president" before he was elected in 2017.

Since then, there have been several high-profile prosecutions relating to sexual abuse involving politicians, K-pop stars, and regular men. With each court victory, the disquiet among men, especially young men, began to build.

"I don't support the #MeToo movement," said Park, a business student in his early 20s who vehemently disagrees with the notion that young women today are disadvantaged in society. "I agree that (women) in their 40s and 50s (made sacrifices), but do not believe that women in their 20s and 30s are being discriminated against."

Park is not his real name. He wants to remain anonymous because he fears repercussions for his views. So does Kim, another student in his early 20s who is about to graduate from university. Kim says he sits apart from women at bars to avoid being falsely accused of sexual harassment. Although he was once supportive of feminism, he now believes it's a women's supremacy movement that aims to bring down men.

"When a woman wears revealing clothes, it's gender violence and sexual objectification. But the same critic will enjoy a similar photo of men. Feminists have a double standard," he said.

Both Park and Kim say men like them are being punished for the crimes of a previous generation. "Patriarchy and gender discrimination is the problem of the older generation, but the penance is all paid by the men in their 20s," Kim said.

Park and Kim are not alone. A Realmeter poll last year of more than 1,000 adults found that 76% of men in their 20s and 66% of men in their 30s oppose feminism, while nearly 60% of respondents in their 20s think gender issues are the most serious source of conflict in the country.

What angers Park and Kim most of all is the nation's policy of compulsory conscription, which forces men their age to serve in the military. At the same time, they think women are getting a leg-up from new government programs that help them enter traditionally male-dominated industries.

End of old masculinity

For 62 years, South Korean men have been forced to join the army. The tradition, which began with the Korean War, requires all able-bodied men between 18 and 35 to serve between 21 to 24 months in the military. But, unlike their fathers, today's youth don't believe in this traditional male duty.

Moon's government is trying to increasing the number of women in the military, where they currently make up around 5.5% of active troops, according to the latest figures. But right now, women are exempt from compulsory conscription.

Park -- who was injured during his time in the army -- says he got zero benefit from military service. "It's unfair that only one gender must serve during their early 20s. We should be pursuing our dreams instead."

It's a view backed by surveys of young men conducted last year by Ma Kyung-hee, a gender policy researcher at Korean Women's Development Institute.

Ma's study of 3,000 adult men found that 72% of men aged in their 20s think that the male-only draft is a form of gender discrimination, and almost 65% believe that women should also be conscripted. Almost 83% believe that military service is better to be dodged, if possible, and 68% believe it is a waste of time.

They're not just concerned about losing two years of freedom. They're also worried about missing out on opportunities. "If I can't use that time for self-improvement, won't I lag behind women in the job market?" Kim asked.

Competition for jobs

In South Korea's hyper-competitive job market, well-paying jobs at large conglomerates are few and far between.

In the last 10 years, the youth unemployment rate has jumped from 6.9% to 9.9%. If you include youth who are working part time, as well as those who are not in prison, school or the military, that rate soars to 21.8%.

And while the country underwent an economic growth spurt from the 70s to the 90s, the young generation of Korea are working in a sluggish economy. Meanwhile, housing prices remain high: the median price for an apartment in Seoul is $670,000 -- while median incomes in the city fall short of $2,000 per month.

Competition for jobs is intense -- and it has only become more so thanks to government programsto bring more women into the workforce. Although the country's education gap is all but closed, women earn less than men in the workforce and are poorly represented in government.

In November 2017, the Ministry of Gender Equality revealed a five-year plan to expand female representation in ministries, government enterprises, and public schools. Last February, it was proposed that the plan be extended to the private sector to incentivize large conglomerates to hire more women and change the male-centric corporate culture.

But some men say these measures are giving women an unfair advantage. "I worry whether I would be disadvantaged in finding employment," Kim said. "Because before, it was a position that I could have easily won by merit, but due to the gender quota, (if I don't get the position) it will be unfair."

Park points to women's universities as another example. In South Korea, there are more than a dozen women-only universities and no male equivalent. Some of these schools offer courses in highly coveted professions like law or pharmacy -- and as the country caps the number of law students, the more places that go to women, the fewer there are for men.

In her report published last year, researcher Ma said South Korea was in a time of "infinite competition where it is impossible to find a stable job." The older generation of men grew up at a time when women worked in factories, so while many saw women as weaker beings, they understood that women made sacrifices for them, Ma said. "To men in their 20s, women are seen as a competitor to overcome."

The conflict is being exacerbated by the internet,where casual misogyny is being normalized, said Ma.

Ma found that men who learned about feminism online were more likely to be anti-feminist than those who acquired information offline. She was also surprised to discover that higher-income and higher-educated groups were just as likely to hold anti-feminist views as their lower-income and lower-education counterparts.

And while their fathers saw woman as needing protection, Ma found many younger men believe it's women who now hold the power. For them, the #MeToo movement, mandatory military service, and government programs for women's advancement are signs that the playing field is tilting against men.

Seeking a political voice

Only two years ago, men in their 20s overwhelmingly supported President Moon. Now, less than 30% of men in their 20s supported Moon, compared to 63.5% of women, according to December's Realmeter poll.

The trend -- which could be explained by the President's perceived feminist leaning -- has prompted some to seek out politicians that reflect their views. But when they look, they find there are few options.

One is Lee Jun-seok, a 34-year-old senior member of centrist Bareun Mirae Party, who has publicly accused feminists of making an unfair grab for privilege at the expense of men. A series of YouTube videos titled "a feminist being destroyed by Lee Jun-seok in debates," have more than 4 million views and tens of thousands of comments, almost all praising Lee.

"As (the ruling Democratic Party) moves towards women's rights, the generation (of men) in their 20s and 30s feels clearly lost," Lee says.

That's because, currently, no political party is exploiting the growing number of disgruntled men. Lee suggests a party with a strong anti-feminist message could emerge at next year's general election, just as right wing groups surged in Europe.

For now, Bareun Mirae's efforts to attract young men seem to be paying off. According to a Gallup Poll earlier this year, men in their 20s and 30s were Bareun Mirae's biggest supporters.

Despite the lack of political parties targeting young men, Moon Sung-ho, from Dang Dang We, is not discouraged. "The current social ills that feminism have created wasn't built in a day. It will take time and effort to crumble it. We need to do it gradually," he said.

Ma, the researcher, believes that the conflict won't be resolved as long as South Korea has military conscription. "We must stop forcing manhood on men," she said. "Society must help men find a new masculinity, instead of anti-feminism."

But Park and Kim feel helpless to change a society that they think is putting women first.

"We are a punching bag," Kim said, when asked to describe the status of young men today. He points to how young men are struggling to buy their own homes, or even pay for dates.

At the same question, Park becomes deflated. "Men in their 20s are not part of the establishment. We must follow whatever people in their 40s and 50s say," he said. "If everyone could easily get a job and the economy was growing, then maybe we wouldn't need to fight this much."

Seung Cho Nam, Park Jimin, Ji Su Lee contributed reporting from Seoul.

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On the same street corner in Seoul where 10,000 South Korean women rallied last October to demand an end to spy cameras and sexual violence, the leader of a new activist group addressed a small group of angry young men.

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This is the material that contains the original article and the Korean translation together. Especially, Korean students, please refer to this data.
이 자료는 아래 기사의 원문과 한글해석본을 함께합친 자료입니다. 특히, 한국학생들은 이 자료를 참고해주세요!(p.s 좌지문 우해석 느낌)

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Hello, I'm glad to participate in international exchange. I am Park Dong Gyun and I am attending Incheon Airport High School. You can call me 'enoch' by my English nickname. I dream of becoming a youth counselor and have been working hard since I was in the second grade of middle school. I enjoy meeting many people and I like to talk. Let's spend a short but fruitful time together.

안녕하세요. 국제교류에 참여하게 되어 기쁩니다. 저는 인천공항고등학교에 재학 중인 박동균입니다. 영어 별칭으로 'enoch'라고 불러주시면 되겠습니다. 저는 청소년상담사라는 직업을 꿈꾸며 중학교 2학년 때부터 지금까지 노력하고 있습니다. 저는 많은 사람들과의 만남을 즐기며, 대화하기를 좋아합니다. 짧지만 알차게 시간을 함께 보냅시다.

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Seoul gov’t proclaims controversial student rights ordinance

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The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Thursday proclaimed an ordinance to protect the human rights of students, which have been at the center of public controversy.With an aim to expand students’ rights while at school, the student human rights ordinance bans corporal punishment by teachers as well a

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한국 학생들은 영어 닉네임을 병기해주세요! 

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한국 학생들은 영어 닉네임을 병기해주세요! 

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김성희(Sunghee Kim)

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Hello! Nice to meet you :)