On October 2, Sung-ae Koo, the director of Pureun Ausung, gave a lecture on healthy sex life at the Creative Learning Building (E11). She discussed issues ranging from social perspectives, differences in perception between genders, and importance of a healthy understanding on sex.

Pureun Ausung is a sex education advocate group founded by Director Koo. Director Koo, a respected sex education advocate, graduate from Yonsei University School of Nursing, and former childbearing nurse, has had more than twenty years of experience in lecturing on this subject. She was a pioneering advocate who brought into the light sex issues, which was usually shunned or tabooed in Korean society.

Director Koo weighed in the importance of a proper sex education at an early age. She mentioned case studies done in the Netherlands, a country where statistics show very high levels of contraception use and sexual responsibility. Practical sex education starts at elementary school in the Netherlands. “Statistics show that contraception use for first sex in the Netherlands is up to 95%.” In comparison, South Korea, where heavier social taboo on sex is imposed, show relatively poor statistics and low levels of education on contraception. No exposure to sex education could lead to more single parents, which would have been prevented through proper teachings.

Furthermore, contrasting perspectives on sex between genders was discussed in the lecture. Director Koo mentioned that men are more naturally inclined for intercourse and women are oftentimes subjected to this pressure. Women may try to communicate too subtly to not put personal relationships at risk. Men, however, may have a hard time identifying the “go” or “no-go” signal without a clear-cut message. She stated, “Women need to express a clear ‘no’ if intercourse is not wanted, and men need to understand and respect that rejection.”