South Korea: two municipalities caused by sex scandals
This Wednesday the South Koreans of the two largest cities of the country, Busan and Seoul, are called to the polls.
AP - Lee Jin-man
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
This Wednesday, April 7, South Koreans from the country's two largest cities, Busan and Seoul, are being called to the polls.
Municipal elections both provoked, because the previous mayors left their functions, following sex scandals.
What impact have these shock waves had on politics in South Korea, a country conservative on moral issues, but pioneers of the MeToo wave in Asia?
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With our correspondent in Seoul,
Nicolas Rocca
As usual, the streets of the Korean capital come alive during the election period.
These elections stand out because they were prompted by the
suicide of the mayor of Seoul
and the resignation of the mayor of Busan, both Democrats and both swept away by scandals of sexual assault and harassment.
Business that is not without consequences.
"
It is customary to think that progressives are more sensitive to issues of feminism or LGBT than conservatives,"
explains Ran Hee Song, director of Korea Women's hotline, an association for the defense of women's rights.
These cases had the merit of showing that even among Democrats, there are very different sensibilities on the subject.
"
Despite a campaign marked by homophobic comments from some candidates, three feminist and LGBT friendly parties have run for Seoul municipality.
"
The vote for women has changed a lot after the MeToo wave and the suicide of the mayor of Seoul so we hope that these parties will succeed in this election to have a long-term impact, or on the presidential elections of next year
", continues Ran Hee Song.
Without any real chance of success, these parties are aiming for an honorable score in the municipal elections to help permanently inscribe these ideals in the South Korean political landscape.
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