Intersectional Dynamics in Gender Quotas: Gender Quotas Threshold for Diversity?

This Paper attempts to analyze to what extent gender quotas have been acting for intersectional representation of under-represented groups. Gender quotas in South Korea are a mixed type of a legislative quota for proportional representation(PR) and a party quota for single-member districts(SMDs). Since the zipper system of gender quotas was institutionalized in the process of candidate selection for PR in 2004, it has led women's representation to increase significantly from 5.9% in the 16th National Assembly(NA) to 13% in the 17th. Yet, as the proportion of PR seats in the NA has been limited only to 18% by the 19th NA, further declining to 14. 5% in 2016, the effects of gender quotas have been considerably constrained. It can be empirically demonstrated that female candidates are as competent as male counterparts, once they are selected to run for campaigns by political parties. However, major political parties still act as gate-keeper for female candidate selection in SMDs, undermining women’s political representation. Instead, gender quotas for PR have been utilized not only for the representation of women, but also for that of politically under-represented groups, such as the disabled, youths, ethnic minority, working class, and etc. This Paper will examine intersectional dynamics in gender quotas to represent the under-represented in the last four general elections by analyzing the process and results of the final PR candidate list of each political party and interviewing those who were involved in the candidate selection for PR. Finally, it will be argued that such use of PR for diversity is apt to end up merely acting a decoy for intersectional representation, co-opting political minorities and leaving male-predominant political order barely untouched.