"Completely Ignoring Women's Voices?" Yoon Transition Team Appoints Professor Who Used 'Ottoke', Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Is Being Passed Over

Transition Team Appoints Professor Using Misogynistic Expressions in Pledge Materials
Only 4 Women Among 24 Transition Members... Ministry of Gender Equality Excluded
"Blatant Exclusion of Women, This Is Gender Division"

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] The Presidential Transition Committee appointed Professor Jeong Seung-yoon of Pusan National University Law School, who was dismissed from the election campaign headquarters for using misogynistic expressions in Yoon Seok-yeol's campaign materials, as a senior advisor in the Political, Judicial, and Administrative Affairs division of the transition committee. The reason given was that the professor "has expressed remorse and is an indispensable figure." This came just over a month after his dismissal due to inappropriate expressions.

The committee reaffirmed its push to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (MOGEF), one of the key campaign promises. Although MOGEF had previously dispatched four employees at the request of the transition committee, it was ultimately excluded from the committee’s composition, sparking controversy over being "passed over." Citizens’ concerns are growing regarding the next administration’s approach and policy plans on women's issues.

On the 23rd, the transition committee announced that Professor Jeong was appointed as a senior advisor to the Political, Judicial, and Administrative Affairs division, which handles judicial reform policies. Professor Jeong authored a judicial reform campaign reference document distributed by the People Power Party in February, which contained the derogatory term "Ottoke" aimed at women. Upon this revelation, he was dismissed. "Ottoke" is a term used in certain online communities to belittle women, implying that women only cry out "What should I do?" in emergency situations without properly responding.

The transition committee explained the appointment by stating, "The individual has consistently expressed remorse for using inappropriate expressions during campaign headquarters activities," and "He is essential for establishing the framework of key judicial campaign promises in terms of continuity."

Criticism arose that the transition committee’s personnel screening was lax and inadequate. Park, a woman in her 30s, said, "Yoon claimed he never engaged in gender division, but this is exactly gender division. It is hard to consider reappointing someone dismissed for using misogynistic expressions in official materials just a month ago as remorse. It can only be seen as openly excluding women," she pointed out.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family at the Government Seoul Office, standing at a crossroads of existence, is stirring unrest amid a restless atmosphere. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

This appointment aligns with Yoon’s previous statements and actions regarding women. Yoon made abolishing the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family a key campaign promise and emphasized appointing personnel based on roles and abilities without gender or youth quotas in the transition committee. Among the 24 transition committee members, 20 are men and only 4 are women. There are no representatives from the 20s and 30s age groups.

All four civil servants recommended by MOGEF were excluded from the transition committee. According to the transition committee and MOGEF, among the total 184 members including transition committee members, senior advisors, and working-level advisors, not a single MOGEF employee was included. This is unusual compared to the dispatch of civil servants from major ministries such as six from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, three from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and two each from the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Employment and Labor, Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Unification, and Ministry of Education.

Initially, when the transition committee requested staff dispatch from MOGEF, some speculated that the ministry would undergo "organizational restructuring" rather than abolition. However, with MOGEF completely excluded, it is now analyzed that the ministry is effectively on the path to abolition. MOGEF was also relegated to the very last position in the major ministries’ briefing on the 25th.

Concerns were also raised within political circles regarding the transition committee’s appointments. Park Ji-hyun, co-chair of the Democratic Party’s Emergency Committee, criticized at a full meeting on the 18th, "The appointments were dominated by Seoul National University graduates and men over 50, with only four women. Not a single person from the 20s or 30s age group was appointed. Appointing only specific age groups, educational backgrounds, and regional origins is the wrong answer."

Political commentator Lee Jong-hoon said, "While the appointments seem to consider expertise and integration, some appointments have been controversial, and the low proportion of women continues to be pointed out. From the election campaign, policies favored young men in their 20s, excluding women, and this trend appears to continue. It also clearly shows that Yoon’s talent pool is not broad," he said.

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