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Rising Female Politicians

By Sarah Wildman

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Photo Credit: C. Sung-Jun/Getty Image

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HAN MYUNG-SOOK, 62, SOUTH KOREA

TODAY: What a difference: During Korea’s military dictatorship in 1979, she was imprisoned and tortured for reading books deemed antigovernment; now she’s prime minister, second in command of the country.

TOMORROW: Her nomination to prime minister by the vastly male National Assembly was a blow to patriarchal Korean society. Should she run for president in 2007, it would be against another woman: Park Geun-hye, the former chairwoman of the conservative Grand National Party.

BACKSTORY: Holds degrees in French literature and women’s studies; is known as the godmother of women’s rights activism in Korea.

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