LAUSR

ABSTRACT The pyogo mushroom is an interesting non-timber product which is cultivated by people living in or near the forests. It is a rare crop that provides economic security to people in the forest areas. At the same time, pyogo mushroom cultivation has had a contradictory effect on women. Forest mushroom cultivation has a centralized male-labor force and a marginalized female labor force. However, some women have refused to be victimized and try to find their empowerment strategies through its cultivation. Our research defines women as active agents of change and emphasizes their energy and ability. We selected ten women for individual, in-depth interviews in order to examine their consciousness regarding gender roles and how they challenge these. In doing this, we analyze how women utilize the pyogo mushroom industry, which is gender-biased, as an empowerment opportunity. The theoretical section includes a literature review for understanding the masculine and patriarchal traditions of the mountainous rural areas of Korea and empowerment strategies from third world feminism. The interview results showed that participants succeeded in confronting traditional gender divisions and in partially or fully controlling their income from pyogo cultivation. In our conclusion, we suggest how their empowerment can be supported so that they may become more effective at local and national levels.