Republic of Korea
Plan launched 2014
Objectives/Aims
A) Prevention:
1. Raise awareness of all persons related to conflict prevention and the peace process.
2. Incorporate gender perspectives into the activities and policies on conflict prevention and the peace process.
3. Develop a prevention system through international cooperation
B) Participation:
4. Ensure greater participation of women in the conflict prevention and peace process
5. Promote gender equality and equal participation of men and women in the decision-making process on peace and security issues
6. Advocate women’s greater social participation in fragile and conflict/conflict affected areas
C) Protection:
7. Provide support for victims of sexual violence in conflict
8. Introduce policies sensitive to women, children, and youth
9. Ensure the punishment of sex offenders and protection of victims in fragile and conflict/conflict affected areas
10. Support for self reliance of female victims in conflict areas though ODA projects
Commentary
"Korea remains the only divided nation in the world under an armistice agreement resulting from the Korean War. At the same time, the ROK is an active contributor to development cooperation and peacekeeping operations. Against this backdrop, the establishment of the National Action Plan, designed to protect women during armed conflict and to strengthen their roles in the areas of peace and security, has special importance for the ROK.
During WWII, the ROK suffered from grave violations of women’s rights, namely, forced military sexual slavery (typically referred to in this specific context as “comfort women”) by the Japanese Imperial Army. Upon the establishment of the NAP, the ROK Government reaffirms its commitment to raising the awareness of the international community on issues of sexual violence during armed conflict, and to further contributing to the prevention of such violence and protection of the victims."
Civil Society
The NAP was completed by the Government in close cooperation with civil society " through a public-private consultative body, made up of representatives from government agencies, civil society, and academia."
Women in Peacekeeping
No explicit mention to the recruitment of female troops, but an increase in women participating in policy-making, in government, and as foreign experts in peace processes.
UN Peacekeeping Statistics
Police Officers: 2 out of 2 Experts on Mission: 1 out of 14 Troops: 29 out of 595
Staff Officers: 3 of 10
Sources
1. Republic of Korea NAP 2. UN - Peacekeeping Contributions