Yoon Hoo-Jung, Ewha’s Honorary President, Receives Mokchon Law Award
- 작성처
- Date2012.11.09
- 4456
As the First Korean Scholar of Constitutional Law, Yoon Fought to Improve the Legal and Social Status of Korean Women
Yoon Hoo-Jung, Ewha’s President Emeritus, has been announced as the 2012 recipient of the Mokchon Law Award.
The selection committee of the award revealed that they chose Yoon Hoo-Jung as this year’s recipient because of her role in introducing a gender equality clause in Korea’s constitution and enacting laws related to prohibiting and eliminating sexual discrimination. The committee praised her pioneering efforts, which brought fundamental change to Korea’s legislation system and applied the field of Women’s Studies for the first time. For example, Yoon pointed out sexual discrimination in the constitution as well as the unconstitutionality of ‘hoju’, the traditional family registry system which only allows men to head the family.
The Mokchon Law Award is given to individuals and associations for high impact contributions in the theory and application of constitutional and administrative law.
Yoon, Ewha’s President Emeritus, graduated from Ewha’s law department in 1951 and worked for Ewha for approximately 60 years. From 1990-1996, she served as the university’s 10th President. In addition, Yoon has served as Chairwoman of the board of Ewha School, an educational foundation, since 2000.
During Yoon’s time as President and Chairwoman of the board, she established the first women’s College of Engineering in the world and expanded the Department of Law to become a College of Law. As a result of her efforts, Ewha was able to make substantial progress in its 2nd century of existence; in 1995, during her tenure as President, Ewha ascended to the first place in the university evaluation system of the Korea Council for University Education.
President Emeritus Yoon is not only a jurist and educator, but also a first generation leader of the women’s movement in Korea who combined theory and practice. She not only applied her full energy and intellect to her work teaching students, developing their education, researching, and improving social systems, but also greatly contributed to advancing women’s rights, the constitutional culture, and Korean women’s history.