Developing Overseas Network

　In August 2011, KFAW visited the Chungcheongnam-Do Women’s Policy Development Institute (CWPDI) to meet CWPDI’s new president Kyong-Ja Min, who assumed the position in 2010. It was confirmed at the meeting that both organizations will further engage in mutual cooperation.
On the second day of the Kitakyushu Conference on Asian Women, reports on a KFAW and CWPDI joint research project were presented for the first time in the three-year history of relations between the two organizations. Also KFAW and CWPDI researchers reported their respective research.

Left: Ms. Choe、Right：Mr. Ishikawa

　The research provided a comparison between Japan and Korea in terms of each country’s actual situation regarding social support networks for working women with young children to help raise their children, and how the networks for such women influenced their decision to continue to work. It was reported that while a so-called “M-shaped curve” was observed in female labor force participation in both countries, there were differences in their working attitudes and practices in terms of social support networks. One of the most concrete and impressive examples was that working women in Korea were more satisfied with their working situation than those in Japan, and they highly valued their husbands, who provided support for their careers.