President Lee Jae-myung hands a bottle of alcohol to a woman at a dinner with citizens and then takes his glass. Ktv video capture

A scene shown by President Lee Jae-myung at a dinner with citizens in Gwanghwamun is heating up online. As a video circulating showed the president handing a bottle of alcohol to the woman next to him, who then poured a drink into his glass, some women have strongly raised concerns, stating, "Gender sensitivity is missing." It is pointed out that the president's every move carries symbolic weight, and thus his unconscious behavior at a dinner, which should be treated as a public occasion, cannot be dismissed as a mere trifle.

Following the spread of the video, SNS has been flooded with criticism such as, "Why doesn't he pour his own drink?" and "The scene of a middle-aged man offering alcohol and a woman pouring it is a symbol of the old, authoritarian company dinner culture." In particular, the criticism, "Imagine a scene where a boss and a female employee exchange drinks in such a manner," suggests that the president's action reflects gender role stereotypes that are difficult to sugarcoat as mere courtesy.

The issue surrounding President Lee Jae-myung's perception of women is not limited to dinner gatherings. His first cabinet and presidential office appointments have also drawn criticism of "superficial gender equality." During his presidential campaign, President Lee pledged to "achieve a 30% ratio of female ministers" and, in fact, 5 out of the 17 ministerial candidates are women, reaching a ratio of 29.4%. However, looking beyond the numbers reveals significant limitations in terms of "gender equality expertise" and the distribution of practical authority.

In particular, Representative Kang Sun-woo, who was nominated as the Minister of Gender Equality and Family, is known as a welfare expert, but the dominant assessment is that her expertise in gender equality or gender-related issues is not prominent. The fact that she did not even mention the word 'gender equality' in her acceptance speech for the ministerial nomination or her first day at work is symbolic. Her ambiguous remark, "a three-dimensional and unbiased perspective," raises doubts about her understanding of the identity and function of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.

The gender perception of the Lee Jae-myung administration is also under scrutiny in cases where female officials were retained. Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Mi-ryung has been criticized for being passive in policies friendly to female farmers, and Minister of Food and Drug Safety Oh Yu-kyung has faced criticism for delaying the introduction of the abortion pill 'Mifepristone.' The women's community interprets the reappointment of such officials as a "reflection of the administration's stance, which has seen a regression in gender sensitivity."

Although the number of female appointees may have increased, women still constitute a tiny minority in key positions such as the National Planning Committee and senior presidential office roles, with men overwhelmingly occupying the core of policy decision-making. This indicates a repeated pattern of outwardly promoting equality while neglecting practical authority and expertise.

Given that President Lee Jae-myung was a figure who garnered expectations from female voters, it is difficult to avoid the assessment that this move is not just disappointing but a genuine regression. While the scene of casually sharing drinks with citizens might show the president's approachability, the moment it is interpreted as a message that 'women are the ones who pour drinks,' that approachability becomes another name for ignorance.

True gender equality begins with not making women pour drinks, and is completed with respect for the authority and capabilities that female appointees can exercise, rather than just their numbers. Where does President Lee Jae-myung's "gender sensitivity" stand now? Is it still in the midst of outdated celebratory culture, or is it taking a step towards the standards of a new era? The answer lies in the fact that the public no longer wants to live in a society where they have to interpret the act of pouring alcohol.

"You can run but you can't hide." Ktv screen capture

And on the t-shirt worn by the restaurant owner who was present at the dinner gathering, this phrase was written:

"You can run but you can’t hide."

This single sentence captured fleetingly in a photograph makes us ponder the president's present and future. One can run from reality, from responsibility, from the sensitivity of the times, but ultimately, the eyes of the public will not miss him.

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