Jin Sun-mi: "Controversy over Abolishing the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Should Not Be Wasted for Votes... Government Department Reorganization Needed"

"Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Regardless of Name, Handles Protection and Support for Vulnerable Groups"
"Government Department Restructuring Needed to Maximize Policy Effectiveness"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] Jin Sun-mi, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea and former Minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, criticized Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, for his campaign pledge to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, saying, "It should not be simply consumed for votes," and added, "Conflicts should be embraced, trusted, and led in a direction of mutual concern."

On the 12th, Jin appeared on KBS Radio's 'Choi Kyung-young's Strongest Current Affairs' and said, "The scope of work carried out by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family is very broad, and discussing only its abolition without context may cause anxiety among many people who are receiving support."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Jin said, "(The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family) mainly handles tasks supporting marginalized groups such as single-parent families, multicultural families, out-of-school youth, and victims of domestic and sexual violence, which make up the majority of its work," and evaluated, "However, there is also a regret that it has not fully addressed socially necessary aspects related to new issues and changes in families." She added, "So I always blame myself, thinking I might have been too lacking."

Jin emphasized, "Due to COVID-19, the lives of the vulnerable have become more difficult, and therefore, regardless of its name, the Ministry's work to protect and support the vulnerable, which it has always done, will require further expansion."

She continued, "Regardless of party lines, I hope that when the next government is formed, this will serve as an opportunity to start serious discussions and considerations about reorganizing government ministries to accommodate the various changes caused by COVID-19."

In response to listener questions such as "What has the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family done?" and "What did it do about sexual harassment cases?" she said, "I can humbly accept the parts where it was lacking," but added, "However, rather than saying the Ministry failed in its role, I hope people also consider how difficult it is to handle such issues." She also said, "We all recognize the need for change," and added, "I hope all camps seriously consider this issue."

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