In the past, women were always deemed as inferiors to men due to their physical weaknesses. Since civilization first emerged, men have mostly maintained high positions within society and often mistreated women. We cannot deny that women are still greatly disadvantaged in terms of their economic status and opportunities granted to them. Nevertheless, reverse discrimination, discrimination against members of a dominant group or in favor of a minority group, is becoming stronger in today’s society.

Numerous examples of reverse discrimination can be seen in Korea in that many facilities and areas are constructed and reserved for women. Starting from 2010, many supermarkets and companies have built parking lots that can only be used by women drivers; female-only libraries are spreading throughout the country. Universities are following this trend by setting aside lounges and resting areas only for women. Apart from these examples, there are many instances of public infrastructure that disadvantages men’s lives. Are these reserved facilities really necessary in today’s egalitarian-oriented society? It seems paradoxical to have such “female-only” places while seeking for equality of men and women.

According to the late Sung, there are more than 600 womenrelated organizations in Korea, all working to restore women’s human rights. On the other hand, there is only one institution working for the sake of men’s rights. Yet, this association receives no government subsidies whereas a plethora of female organizations are receiving large amounts of governmental funding. From the perspective of men, it is unreasonable to pay taxes that support those organizations that do nothing for them. That women-related institutions are getting huge amounts of government money illustrates the relatively unjust and female-oriented society we are living in.

Scrutinizing these aforementioned examples, one could conclude that men are indeed suffering from reverse discrimination. One of the primary reasons behind this phenomenon could be the over empowerment of women in our society since many leaders in different industries are women these days. Needless to say, even the current president of Korea is women.

Most importantly, another cause of reverse discrimination is the unwarranted justification of women. It is well- established that women were treated unfairly in the past. Knowing this history, women are taking advantage of it to rationalize any behavior or action they take toward men. As a result, men are confused by their sophistry and still believe that women are societal inferiors without acknowledging that they themselves are actually the inferiors.

To resolve this issue and head back toward a more egalitarian society, the government must construct and implement policies to insure the rights of men. One solution could be the reinstitution of the extra points system for men who are re-integrating into society after military service. Once an active policy and advantage offered to men, this system was abolished in October, 2001 because of the fierce assertion of women-oriented organizations that it discriminated against women. Not offering any institutional assistance to soldiers is a great hardship since many things in the world have changed during their two years of service. Re-implementation of this policy will support equality.

The death of Sung was not merely a selfish and imprudent impulse. It was a considered yet radical step made on behalf of the betterment of men’s rights. Although reverse discrimination is ubiquitous nowadays, most people are not taking this matter seriously. If this trend persists, Korea will fail to accomplish its goal to become a classless society, and the conflict between men and women will deepen, falling into an abyss from which there is no escape.