Juggling it all: A discourse analysis of the Korean work-life balance policy through gender lens

This research seeks to examine work life balance policy of the Moon Jae-in administration of Korea (2017 May to 2022 May) through gender perspective. Guided by women’s empow-erment approach, this study applies critical discourse analysis to public speeches and state-ments made by high-ranking decision makers. By conducting a critical discourse analysis, specifically WPR approach (What is the problem represented to be?) developed by Carol Bacchi, I explore the way the government views, problematizes and silences gender inequality through dominant representations of the work life balance policy. The analysis shows certain gender awareness of the Moon administration, specifically with policy efforts to address care crisis trying to encourage men to participate in childcare. However, there exists a common-ality with previous administrations in the way that the policy takes an instrumental approach towards women as it aims to maximize women’s workforce for macroeconomic growth and development. Therefore, the policy deeply rooted in developmentalism hinders the work life balance policy from being a transformative avenue to intrinsically empower women and con-sequently to dismantle gender inequality in all realms of life.