북한법률 체계에 드러난 여성의 사회적 지위와 역할에 관한 연구

The North Korean regime (“the Regime”) legislated multiple women-related laws in the 1940s and 50s. Gender equality was clearly stated in their first constitution and it has been included in the constitution ever since. Considering women’s social status and the social atmosphere in the Korean peninsula at the time, this was very progressive. However, when looking into it deeper, we can find that there is another side to this. When looking at what situation the Regime was in when legislating these laws, we can find that its primary goal was not to guarantee gender equality for women. The Regime seem to have been utilizing gender issue to increase their population and production in the economic sector. In the 1940s, the Regime needed to win the people’s support in order to establish their government in the northern part of the peninsula. Many events show that they targeted women, who took up to 50% of the population in order to establish their government. Many men were killed in the 1950s because of the Korean War and the Regime needed women as a labor force. And the most recently legislated law regarding gender equality was legislated when the Regime was writing their national report for the “Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.” The content of law shows that the Regime’s view on women is primarily focused in giving birth, raising children and labor. This shows the Regime’s instrumental view on women.