In my last column, I discussed some factors informing my opinion that the status of women in Korea today has improved in several respects, from life expectancy to autonomy. Korea continues to aspire to an equal opportunity society but is unequal in gender terms and in need of further change and reform, public and private. This column continues the discussion by focusing on factors for Korean mature, married women, known as "ajumma" or today as "gasa gwalissa" in some contexts. It’s important to note the age and class dimensions of personhood. There are working, middle- and upper-class women. I have called these groups ajumma, "jubu" or "jungsangcheung jubu" and "samonim," respectively. The life prospects of middle-class and upper-class women are eased relative to ajumma by their access to higher status, education and income/wealth, other things equal. They are limited by those factors wanting or prompting women to remain homemakers and more broadly, "proper" women. This is as against entering or resuming work after childbirth, having a public presence for civic or other activities a