Suddenly, a One-Line Pledge to 'Abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality'... Big Impact but No Explanation Provided

Yoon "Anything done for the nation and society"
Lee Jun-seok "Yoon an avatar? Abolishing the Ministry of Gender Equality is 'common sense'"
"Dividing youth by gender, fostering discrimination and hate"

Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, held a press conference at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul on the 7th, announcing his pledge for the metropolitan transportation network in the Seoul metropolitan area. / Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, posted the phrase "abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (MOGEF)" on Facebook on the 7th without any further explanation, sparking a debate over the existence of MOGEF as a major election issue. Yoon and the People Power Party argue that MOGEF should be abolished because it fosters gender conflict.

The impact of this seven-character, one-line pledge has been significant. Fierce debates over the existence of MOGEF are taking place not only in political circles but also online. However, no convincing explanation has yet been provided as to which specific roles of MOGEF are said to promote gender conflict. It seems difficult to avoid criticism that this is an attempt to stir up gender conflict to win votes from certain groups.

Yoon’s policies related to women have frequently changed without consistency. During the People Power Party’s presidential primary, Yoon advocated for reorganizing MOGEF into a Ministry of Gender Equality and Family rather than abolishing it.

Before disbanding his campaign committee, Yoon recruited Professor Lee Su-jeong of Kyonggi University’s Department of Criminal Psychology and Shin Ji-ye, former head of the Korean Women’s Political Network. Both are figures actively engaged in women’s issues externally. At the time, it was evaluated that Yoon was targeting female voters in their 20s and 30s, a demographic where his support was weak. However, less than a month later, he is showing a stance that contradicts his previous approach.

Although a reasonable explanation for reversing the pledge is naturally required, Yoon has not provided a concrete answer. On the 8th, after finishing a museum visit schedule, when asked by reporters about his stance on MOGEF, Yoon replied, "The current position is to abolish MOGEF. And I will think about it more." He added, "I hope people understand that whatever is done is for the country and society."

On the same day, he only stated on Facebook, "We will promote the establishment of a new ministry that comprehensively addresses issues of children, families, and population decline, rather than dividing by gender anymore." It is unclear whether he is referring to the problem with MOGEF’s name or advocating for changes in the organization’s structure or role, making his answer ambiguous.

On the 7th, Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, posted the seven words "Abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family" on Facebook, to which Sim Sang-jung, the Justice Party's presidential candidate, responded by posting "Strengthen the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family." Photo by Candidate Yoon, Candidate Sim Facebook captures

Political circles immediately voiced criticism toward the People Power Party. Sim Sang-jung, the Justice Party’s presidential candidate, posted the phrase "strengthen the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family" on Facebook in response to Yoon’s one-line pledge to abolish MOGEF.

Sim said, "I cannot contain my anger seeing Yoon bring up abolishing MOGEF as a result of reuniting with Lee Jun-seok. I want to ask if a candidate who does not hesitate to divide youth by gender and incite discrimination and hatred just to recover falling approval ratings has any awareness as a leader," strongly criticizing Yoon.

She continued, "When women’s human rights and safety are guaranteed, everyone’s human rights and safety are guaranteed. The parts men feel are discriminatory should be resolved on their own, not by undermining women’s rights to compensate."

Jang Hye-young, a lawmaker from the same party, called Yoon "Lee Jun-seok’s avatar" and criticized him. Jang said, "Yoon, once a star of the Democratic Party government, has now evolved into a faithful 'Lee Jun-seok avatar.' Political parties, which should act as gatekeepers to prevent divisive claims among citizens from entering the realm of real politics, have instead rolled out the red carpet for fascist-like claims to enter public debate," pointing to Lee Jun-seok as the main culprit.

She added that the recent gender conflict debate is not about "what feminism is" but "who is a feminist." Censors define the word "femi" (feminist) as inherently bad, a target of attack, and the root of all problems. "This untimely 'femi' censorship is ridiculously damaging South Korea’s freedom and democracy," she pointed out.

Meanwhile, regarding the criticism that Yoon is "Lee Jun-seok’s avatar," Lee responded on Facebook on the 10th, saying, "The abolition of MOGEF is a shared view not only between the candidate and me but also among the party’s key decision-makers," and dismissed the avatar claim as meaningless.

He added, "The candidate thinks 'Dokdo is our land,' and I also think 'Dokdo is our land.' That’s not because we are avatars but simply common sense," emphasizing that the call to abolish MOGEF is "common sense."

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