2017 Update:
The Republic of Korea adopted its own national action plan on women and peace and security in 2014, and has been scaling up its efforts to increase women’s participation in peace efforts ever since.
Commitment:
The Republic of Korea made a statement affirming support for the WPS Agenda, but no specific commitment made.
2018 Update:
The Government recently launched a new initiative called “Action with Women and Peace”. The initiative involves increased funding and a policy focus directed towards protecting women and girls during and after armed conflicts and empowering them in post-conflict recovery and peacebuilding processes. The Government has partnered with UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund and launched new development cooperation projects aimed at increasing awareness among and the empowerment of local communities, providing safe spaces and legal support. Their new women and peace and security project, through the African Union Peace Fund, will also help local communities be better prepared to increase women’s participation in various peace processes.
The Republic of Korea has now exceeded the 15 per cent goal they set for female staff officers and military observers in United Nations peacekeeping operations.
The ratio of women among Cabinet members has also reached 27.8 per cent. In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is currently led by the firstever female Minister, 60.9 per cent of all 650 diplomats newly recruited over the past 10 years have been women, and their retention rate stands at 94.5 per cent.