Minister Lee Jung-ok of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family: "Discrimination Based on Biological and Innate Characteristics Must Be Avoided" (Comprehensive)

All Minorities Must Be Granted Constitutionally Guaranteed Rights
Civil Society Consensus Needed for Political Agreement

On the 5th, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Announces Key Work Plans
Considering Reward System for Reporting Child and Adolescent Sexual Exploitation Videos

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-joo] On the 5th, Minister of Gender Equality and Family Lee Jung-ok stated during a Q&A session following this year's Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (MOGEF) work briefing held at the government complex, "All minorities have the right to be granted the rights guaranteed by the Constitution," adding, "Discrimination based on biological, innate, or ascribed characteristics should be avoided as it is the spirit of the times."

The minister said, "The concept of 'gender,' a sociocultural notion of sex, was created to respond to social discrimination arising during the socialization process," and added, "The enactment of the Anti-Discrimination Act ultimately requires political consensus such as bipartisan agreement and party consensus, and I believe that civil society consensus indirectly influences lawmakers."

This response was given in relation to questions about what social consensus is needed for the enactment of the Anti-Discrimination Act, in connection with the case of former Corporal Byun Hee-soo and the cancellation of admission to Sookmyung Women's University.

On the same day in the morning, MOGEF announced its major work plans under the theme "An Inclusive Society Moving Forward with Gender and Generational Equality." The policy goals for developing an inclusive society through equality, safety, and mutual care were presented as three core tasks: ▲ Respect for diversity and substantive gender and generational equality ▲ Safe society for women and youth ▲ Creation of a safe care environment.

First, the ministry plans to strengthen the gender impact assessment and gender-responsive budgeting system, and to develop and pilot a gender awareness competency diagnosis task for deputy general managers and senior public officials.

Additionally, the ministry will raise the statutory penalties for crimes involving child and youth pornography and establish sentencing guidelines to strengthen punishment for sexual crimes against children and youth. Not only the victims but also spouses, direct relatives, and siblings will be able to request support for deleting victim videos, and the introduction of a reward system for reporting child and youth sexual exploitation videos will also be considered. Currently, under the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth Against Sexual Abuse, rewards are given to those who report crimes such as prostitution mediation, and the ministry plans to expand this provision to include sexual exploitation videos targeting children and youth.

To provide integrated support for at-risk youth, youth safety network teams will be newly established in nine local governments, and customized programs for high-risk youth will be implemented. Twenty exclusive spaces for out-of-school youth will be set up, and tailored support such as expanded labor rights education will also be planned.

To build a trustworthy care system, 64 new family centers will be constructed, and pilot projects for care communities will be conducted in 15 cities, counties, and districts selected by regional type. Policies such as family status surveys considering the characteristics of single-person households will be developed, and support measures for care, education, and counseling for adolescent parents will also be explored. Additional sanctions will be introduced to increase the child-rearing responsibilities of non-custodial parents.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.