"Difficult trip": South Korean mother opens way for Women's World Cup

SEOUL: When defender Hwang Bo-ram will visit the field in France next month, she will become the first mother to play for South Korea at the Women's World Cup, defying the traditional notions of motherhood in her country. country.

In a country where the pay gap between men and women remains high and where marriage and the education of children can hinder a woman's career, Hwang is the only married woman in the group and her oldest member, at 31 years old.

It will not be the first time that his personal life will make the headlines of the World Cup: husband Lee Du-hee raised the issue after South Korea drew with Costa Rica in Montreal at the last edition in 2015.

Their daughter Bom was born 14 months ago.

Few people expected Hwang to return to the WK League, South Korea's top women's football competition, where only one mother – now retired – had played before.

But after her club Hwacheon KSPO restored her to his team in December, she returned to the national team in April and this month she was named to the World Cup team.

"The training has been very difficult" since I had a child, Hwang said before leaving for the pre-tournament camp in Sweden, "because I have to set a good example" .

"I did not want to hear people say" She had a baby "or" She's too old to play now, "she told the press.

"So, I made no excuses, hid my emotions and I trained harder."

ECONOMY CLASS

South Korea is the fourth largest economy in Asia and a regional sports powerhouse. It is one of only two Asian countries – alongside Japan – to have organized summer and winter Olympics.

But it remains hierarchical and patriarchal in many respects, including in the labor market, where 82% of married men are employed, compared to only 53% of married women.

Mothers and married women are often discriminated against as many companies are reluctant to employ them, questioning their commitment and fearing that they will not be able to spend the long normal hours of South Korean workers.

The pay gap between men and women in the country is the highest among developed economies, with active women accounting for only 63% of what men earn.

Football is no exception.

Kim Shin-wook, the highest paid player in K League 1, earned 1.6 billion won (1.4 million US dollars) last year.

But the upper salary limit for WK League players was only 3%, or 50 million won.

In 2015, the Korean Football Federation was publicly criticized for providing business clbad airline tickets to members of the national men's team, while the players had an economy.

The KFA reportedly stated that "the players bring a lot more money to the badociation".

"The importance of the first mother to participate in the Hwang World Cup is not limited to the history of South Korean football," said Choi Dong-ho, director of the research group Center for Sports Culture.

"This is such a significant achievement for South Korean society as a whole, where many women struggle to find or find work after having children," he said.

"Your body is not the same"

On the advice of his doctor, Hwang did not play football during his pregnancy. Five months after giving birth, she started with bodybuilding and pilates and started training with a high school football team three months later.

It had been a "very difficult journey" for Hwang, said her husband Lee.

"As a professional athlete, not having played this sport for nearly two years is a huge challenge, even for those who have not experienced pregnancy or childbirth," she said. he told AFP.

"She was under pressure because, obviously, your body was no longer the same when you have a baby, she was not sure – while doing her best – if she would be able to play football like her. did it before. "

But Hwacheon KSPO 's head coach, Kang Jae – soon – who has known Hwang for about 20 years – said that he was not surprised that she had returned to the country. National team.

"She has speed, strength and determination like no other, and now she is also one of the most experienced players in the league."

Hwang's husband is taking care of their daughter while his wife is training away from home and will be doing it for the World Cup.

"I burst into tears when I heard for the first time that Bo-ram had been introduced to the national team," he said.

"I knew how hard she worked despite all the challenges, I can not describe the respect I have for my wife."