Kwon In-sook | Today's AI Wiki

1. Overview

Kwon In-sook (권인숙^Korean; born August 28, 1964) is a prominent South Korean labor activist, feminist scholar, and politician. She is recognized for her pivotal role in the country's democratization movement, particularly as the first woman to publicly accuse the South Korean government of sexual assault, an act that significantly reshaped public discourse on sexual violence. As an emblematic figure of the "386 generation" of activists, Kwon transitioned from underground labor organizing to an influential academic career focused on gender, patriarchy, and sexual violence. Later, she entered mainstream politics, serving as a proportional representative in the 21st National Assembly and contributing to legislative efforts aimed at advancing gender equality and human rights. Her career reflects a deep commitment to social justice, challenging authoritarianism, and advocating for marginalized voices in South Korea.

2. Early Life and Education

Kwon In-sook was born on August 28, 1964. During her middle school years, she developed a critical awareness of the political climate, recalling a sense of being "duped" by the then-authoritarian government. This early disillusionment led her to become involved in student movements, fostering a feeling of betrayal and anger towards the adults who, in her view, had propagated falsehoods to the youth. She graduated from Wonju Girls' High School before enrolling in the Clothing Department of the College of Human Ecology at Seoul National University in 1982. Her time at the university further solidified her commitment to activism, drawing her into the democratic movement.

3. Student and Labor Activism

While attending Seoul National University, Kwon In-sook became deeply involved in student and labor movements. In 1985, during a leave of absence from her studies, she undertook undercover employment at a gas exhaust fan factory in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province. Her objective was to organize factory workers into a trade union. To secure the blue-collar job, she falsified her identity by using a stolen resident registration card belonging to an acquaintance, altering the photo, and forging other personal details on her resume. This act of disguised employment was a common tactic among student activists seeking to engage directly with the working class and mobilize them for social change. Her activities eventually led to her arrest on charges of identity forgery.

4. The Bucheon Police Station Sexual Torture Incident

The 1986 incident at the Bucheon Police Station, where Kwon In-sook was subjected to sexual abuse and torture during interrogation, became a watershed moment in South Korea's democratization and women's rights movements.

4.1. Background and Arrest

In June 1986, Kwon In-sook was taken to the Bucheon Police Station. She was initially brought in to address charges related to the falsification of documents, stemming from her undercover employment for labor organizing. During the interrogation, police also suspected her of involvement in the "5.3 Incheon People's Uprising", a significant pro-democracy demonstration that had occurred earlier that year, and charged her with participation in a "violent demonstration." These charges served as a pretext for the severe mistreatment she would endure.

4.2. Abuse and Interrogation

While in police custody, Kwon In-sook was subjected to sexual abuse and torture by police sergeant Mun Gwi-dong. Despite being handcuffed, she was forced to remove her jacket and T-shirt and was beaten on her breasts multiple times during questioning sessions. The abuse was directly related to her alleged involvement in the labor movement and the 5.3 Incheon People's Uprising, aiming to extract confessions and information.

4.4. Trial, Imprisonment, and Release

Kwon In-sook was subsequently tried and convicted for public document forgery, alteration of public documents, use of altered public documents, private document forgery, use of forged private documents, theft, and document destruction. On December 4, 1986, the Incheon District Court sentenced her to one year and six months in prison. She served her sentence at Masan Correctional Institution. However, her imprisonment was cut short. In 1987, she was released as part of a broader political amnesty that followed the historic June Democracy Movement, which saw hundreds of political prisoners freed. Although criminal charges against Mun Gwi-dong were initially dropped, he was later ordered to pay 45.00 K USD in civil penalties after extensive legal maneuvering. Kwon's case became a stark illustration of the lack of political neutrality within the South Korean judicial system during the mid-1980s.

5. Academic Career and Feminist Scholarship

Following her release from prison, Kwon In-sook embarked on an academic career, becoming a distinguished feminist scholar whose work profoundly influenced discussions on gender, patriarchy, and sexual violence in South Korea.

5.1. Women's Studies in the United States

In 1989, Kwon established the 'Labor Human Rights Center' in Guro-dong, Seoul, providing counseling and education. However, she recognized a deeper need for specialized knowledge. Believing that "women's voices were unheard" despite the progress of democratization after 1987, and that professional education in women's studies was essential for societal advancement, she decided to pursue further academic training. In 1994, she moved to the United States, where she earned a Master's degree in Women's Studies from Rutgers University and a Ph.D. in Women's Studies from Clark University in 2000. Her postdoctoral research included a year as a researcher at the Korea Institute at Harvard University and a visiting researcher at the East Asian Institute at Columbia University. She also served as a professor in the Department of Women's Studies at the University of South Florida.

5.2. Professorships and Research in South Korea

Upon returning to South Korea, Kwon In-sook continued her academic career. From 2003, she taught women's studies at the Basic Education College of Myongji University, also holding positions as a professor at the university's Education and Learning Development Institute and Bangmok College of Basic Education. Her research in South Korea focused on critical issues within Korean society, including sexual violence, gender equality, and the impact of conscription and military culture on women, children, and civilians. In 2004, she played a significant role in raising awareness about hidden sexual violence within the military. She also openly criticized aspects of military culture and the conscription system. Her expertise led to her appearance on the EBS documentary program "Portrait of the Era" on April 24, 2007, where she discussed her life and work.

5.3. Work with Research Institutes

Kwon In-sook has held leadership positions in several prominent organizations dedicated to women's rights and research into sexual violence. In 2001, she served as the representative secretary of the Labor Human Rights Center. In February 2014, she became the inaugural director of 'Ullim,' a specialized research institute affiliated with the Korean Sexual Violence Counseling Center. In this role, she actively raised her voice in the public sphere, offering opinions on high-profile sexual violence cases and critiquing society from a gender-sensitive perspective. From October 2017 to March 2020, she served as the 15th president of the Korean Women's Policy Institute, further cementing her influence on national policy and research related to women's issues.

6. Political Career

Kwon In-sook's journey from a grassroots activist and academic to a public office holder marks a significant transition in her career, allowing her to pursue social change through legislative means.

6.1. Role in the Democratization Movement

Kwon In-sook is widely regarded as one of the most representative figures of the "386 generation" - a term referring to South Koreans born in the 1960s, who attended university in the 1980s, and were active in the democratization movement. Her personal experience with state-sponsored sexual torture made her an iconic symbol of the human rights abuses perpetrated by authoritarian regimes. Historian Namhee Lee described her as "an emblematic figure of South Korea in the 1980s; she embodied the passion, the ideals, and the conflicting aspirations of the 1980s democratization movement." Her courage in speaking out against injustice significantly influenced South Korea's anti-dictatorship and broader democratization movements.

6.2. Entry into Politics and Election

Kwon In-sook formally entered the political arena, aligning herself with the center-left Democratic Party of Korea. On March 8, 2017, which is International Women's Day, she joined the presidential campaign of Moon Jae-in, then a candidate for the Democratic Party. By April 7, she was appointed as a co-chair of Moon Jae-in's campaign committee. During the campaign, she was vocal on various policy issues, notably criticizing the remarks of presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo regarding private kindergartens on April 12, stating that such ideas were "impossible without someone pursuing private gain behind the scenes." In the 21st general election held on April 15, 2020, Kwon In-sook successfully ran as the third candidate on the proportional representation list for the Platform Party, a satellite party of the Democratic Party, and was elected as a legislator.

6.3. Legislative Activities

As a member of the 21st National Assembly from May 30, 2020, to May 29, 2024, Kwon In-sook held various key positions, demonstrating her commitment to legislative reform, particularly in areas related to women's rights, education, and justice.

Period	Role	Committee / Party Position
2020.07-2022.05	Secretary	21st National Assembly First Half, Women and Family Committee
2020.07-2021.06	Member	21st National Assembly First Half, Education Committee
2020.08-2020.09	Member	21st National Assembly Special Committee for Confirmation Hearing of Supreme Court Justice (Lee Heung-gu)
2020.09-2022.05	Chairperson	21st National Assembly First Half, Women and Family Committee, Bill Review Subcommittee
2021.06-2021.06	Member	21st National Assembly First Half, National Defense Committee
2021.06-2022.05	Member	21st National Assembly First Half, Education Committee
2022.07-2024.05	Chairperson	21st National Assembly Second Half, Women and Family Committee
2022.07-2023.06	Member	21st National Assembly Second Half, Legislation and Judiciary Committee
2023.06-2024.05	Member	21st National Assembly Second Half, Public Administration and Security Committee
2020.09-2022.09	Chairperson	Democratic Party Human Rights Committee
2020.09-2021.05	Standing Vice-Chairperson	Democratic Party Policy Committee
2022.03-2022.09	Chairperson	Democratic Party Policy Committee 7th Policy Coordination Committee
2023.12-2024.03	Preliminary Candidate	22nd National Assembly Election, Gyeonggi Yongin-gap (Democratic Party)

7. Legacy and Impact

Kwon In-sook's life and career have left an indelible mark on South Korean society, fundamentally altering public discourse on sexual violence and significantly influencing feminist and social justice movements.

7.1. Reframing Sexual Abuse Discourse

The news of Kwon In-sook's lawsuit against the government for sexual abuse "rocked Korean society for months." At a time when sexual and physical abuse was largely considered an "unspeakable experience" and victims often faced shame and social ostracization, her public accusation was shocking, as it was more likely to damage her own reputation than that of the accused. However, her courageous testimony played a critical role in reframing the issue of sexual abuse in South Korea. By publicly sharing her experience, she helped shift the societal narrative from the "shame of the victim" to the "crime of the perpetrator," thereby emphasizing perpetrator accountability and challenging traditional victim-blaming attitudes. This paradigm shift was crucial for fostering a more supportive environment for survivors to come forward.

7.3. Public Perception and Recognition

Kwon In-sook is widely recognized as an emblematic figure of South Korea's democratic transition. Her life story, particularly her resilience in the face of state violence, embodies the passion, ideals, and complex aspirations of the 1980s democratization movement. She is seen as a symbol of courage and a pioneer who challenged entrenched power structures and patriarchal norms. Her consistent advocacy for human rights, gender equality, and social justice, both as an academic and a politician, has maintained her public prominence and cemented her legacy as a significant contributor to South Korea's modern history.

8. Controversies

Throughout her career, Kwon In-sook has faced certain controversies, primarily related to her early activism and later parliamentary conduct.

8.1. Document Forgery and Conviction

During her period of undercover labor activism, Kwon In-sook was involved in a legal controversy surrounding document forgery. She was accused of using a stolen resident registration card belonging to an acquaintance, altering the photograph, and forging other personal details to create a resume for her disguised employment. While some argue that it might not have been a direct theft, as revealing the acquaintance's identity could have implicated them as an accomplice, the legal outcome was clear. On December 4, 1986, the Incheon District Court sentenced Kwon In-sook to one year and six months in prison for charges including public document forgery, alteration of public documents, use of altered public documents, private document forgery, use of forged private documents, theft, and document destruction.

8.2. Parliamentary Conduct

Kwon In-sook's conduct during parliamentary sessions has also drawn public criticism on a few occasions. On November 10, 2022, during a plenary session of the National Assembly, which included a report on the Itaewon crowd crush inquiry and a vote for the National Assembly Vice Speaker, she was photographed playing a chess game on her smartphone. Later that evening, she issued a written apology, acknowledging her mistake and expressing remorse. Another incident occurred on February 15, 2023, during a plenary meeting of the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee. During a discussion on the "non-consensual intercourse crime," Kwon repeatedly interrupted Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon's responses, making a normal debate difficult. She also controversially asked Minister Han, who had served as a prosecutor for over 20 years, "Have you ever investigated sexual assault?" This question was widely perceived as unexpected and inappropriate given his extensive legal career.

9. Publications

Kwon In-sook has authored and co-authored several significant books, primarily focusing on gender, feminism, and social issues in South Korea.

A Wall Overcome (하나의 벽을 넘어서). Georeum. 1989.
Choice (선택). Woongjin. 2002.
Republic of Korea is the Military (대한민국은 군대다). Cheongnyeonsa. 2005.
Stories of Gender Equality (양성평등 이야기). Cheongnyeonsa. 2007.
Children's Stories of Gender Equality (어린이 양성평등 이야기). Cheongnyeonsa. 2008.
Co-authored with Jang Pil-hwa, Kim Hyeon-sook, Lee Sang-hwa, Shin Ok-hee, Shin In-ryeong, and Yoon Hoo-jung. Edited and translated by Nishimura Yumi. Trends in Korean Feminism (韓国フェミニズムの潮流). Akashi Shoten. 2006.
Military Culture and Gender in Korea (韓国の軍事文化とジェンダー). Translated by Yamashita Hidea. Ochanomizu Shobō. 2006.
Co-authored with Gwak Byeong-chan, Kang Su-dol, Kim Seo-ryeong, Oh Jin-hee, Kim Jong-hwi, Mok Su-jeong, Pyeon Hae-mun, Im Hye-ji, Kim Jong-rak, Dalma, Park Geum-seon, et al. One Thing to Ask Before Marriage (결혼 전 물어야 할 한 가지). Shanti. 2011.
Authored by Pamela D. Schultz, translated by Ullim Research Institute, affiliated with Korean Sexual Violence Counseling Center. People Who Became Monsters (괴물이 된 사람들). Ihue. 2014.
Authored by Kwon In-sook, translated by Nakano Noriko, manga by Ōkoshi Kyōko. From Mother to Daughter: Let's Talk About Gender (母から娘へ-ジェンダーの話をしよう). Nashinokisha. 2011.

10. Personal Life

Kwon In-sook is the daughter of Kwon Young-chul, who passed away on May 23, 2023. She has three siblings: Kwon In-ja, Kwon In-kyung, and Kwon Oh-sun.