'Namttang' Diplomacy and Security Scene Revealing Lowest Gender Sensitivity

Kim Ki-jung Steps Down from Blue House After 12 Days Amid Conduct Controversy
Returns as Director of National Security Strategy Institute, a Government Research Agency
Dismissed This Year as Head of Unification Research Institute Over Sexual Harassment Allegations
Unification Minister Lee In-young Also Faces Gender Sensitivity Controversy

On the 5th, attendees are engaged in a discussion at a foreign affairs and security forum held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul under the theme "The Korean Peninsula After the U.S. Presidential Election: What Should We Prepare For?" Both the moderator and the discussants were male.

Kim Ki-jung, a former professor of political science and diplomacy at Yonsei University, has been appointed as the head of the National Security Strategy Institute, a government-funded research institute. He was initially appointed as the Deputy Director of the National Security Office at the Blue House in early 2017 during the Moon Jae-in administration, but resigned voluntarily after 12 days following repeated concerns raised by women's organizations about his 'inappropriate conduct' during his time as a professor. The news of his return as the head of a national research institute has sparked considerable controversy.

His comeback further amplifies public criticism of the 'Yeonjeong (Yonsei University Department of Political Science and Diplomacy) line,' which currently dominates key positions in the government's foreign affairs and security departments. This trend reveals a lack of diversity in personnel composition and a clear bias toward a specific academic faction or clique. The Yeonjeong line includes Moon Jung-in, Special Advisor on Foreign Affairs and Security (Emeritus Professor at Yonsei University), Choi Jong-geon, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs (Professor of Political Science and Diplomacy), Cho Hyun, Ambassador to the United Nations (Yonsei graduate), and Kim Jun-hyung, President of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy (Yonsei graduate). This suggests that the Yeonjeong line's dominance will continue.

The bigger issue with this appointment is that the context of Kim's resignation from the Blue House is completely disregarded. He initially served as the chairman of the foreign affairs subcommittee of the State Affairs Planning Advisory Committee at the start of the Moon Jae-in administration and was soon appointed as Deputy Director of the National Security Office, but he did not hold the position for even two weeks. When strong opinions labeling him as an 'inappropriate appointment' arose from women's groups and others, the Blue House conducted additional verification, which reportedly led Kim to offer his resignation.

At the time, the Blue House only stated that he resigned "taking moral responsibility for the rumors circulating in society." Although the specifics of the 'rumors circulating in society' were not disclosed, it is known that various sectors had pointed out inappropriate language and behavior during his tenure as a professor.

When Kim stepped down as Deputy Director, the Liberty Korea Party (now the People Power Party) issued a spokesperson's statement saying, "There are rampant speculations about what inappropriate conduct Kim engaged in, with reports including sexual harassment and misogyny," adding, "If true, these are serious flaws that would disqualify him from holding high public office or even a professorship."

The chronic lack of 'gender sensitivity' in the male-dominated foreign affairs and security sector inevitably comes under renewed scrutiny. This issue was particularly severe this year.

In January, Lim Kang-taek, President of the Korea Institute for National Unification, was dismissed over allegations of sexual harassment of staff. In July, Lee In-young, Minister of Unification, visited the funeral of former Chungnam Governor Ahn Hee-jung, who was convicted by the Supreme Court for sexual assault and forced molestation of his secretary. After the visit, Lee told reporters, "My father also passed away while I was serving a prison sentence. I feel very heavy-hearted."

By equating his own imprisonment for democratization activism with Ahn's prison sentence, Lee revealed a complacent attitude toward clear cases of power-based sexual crimes, drawing heavy criticism. The Gender Politics Research Institute Ye.Se.Yeon issued a statement criticizing, "The political figures who attended the funeral and the nameplates on the condolence wreaths allowed the sexual offender Ahn Hee-jung to publicly display his political vitality." They particularly pointed out the remarks of politicians at the funeral, stating, "They publicly approved that sexual offenders can always return to the political arena."

On the 16th, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha expressed at a forum, "As the first female foreign minister in this important position, I am doing my best, but there are times when I feel, 'Is this because I am a woman?'" She added, "In a male-dominated culture, I sometimes question whether I am truly accepted."

Minister Kang emphasized that "as time passes and women become the majority, things will inevitably change a lot," stressing the need for more women to take on roles in the foreign affairs and security sectors.

As she said, unless more women enter the foreign affairs and security industry and an environment is created where more women can establish themselves, the shortage of gender sensitivity is unlikely to be easily resolved.

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