Kim Hyun-sook: "Gender Equality and the Abolition of the Ministry of Gender Equality Are Separate Issues"

Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Submits Government Organization Act Amendment Report
No Specific Details on Ministry Abolition Included

Kim Hyun-sook, Minister of Gender Equality and Family, is giving a post-briefing on the New Year's work report of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family at the briefing room of the Government Seoul Office Building on the 9th. Photo by Ministry of Gender Equality and Family

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Kim Hyun-sook, Minister of Gender Equality and Family, firmly stated that the realization of a gender-equal society and the abolition of the ministry are "not equivalent."

On the afternoon of the 9th, at a joint briefing following a work report held at the Government Seoul Office, Minister Kim announced, "We have submitted a revision bill to the Government Organization Act to strengthen the practical protection functions for women, families, and youth."

However, it was reported that the bill did not include a specific roadmap related to the abolition of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. In fact, there has been no concrete decision on how to reorganize the system if the ministry's duties are transferred to the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Employment and Labor.

Lee Ki-soon, Deputy Minister of Gender Equality and Family, also explained at a prior briefing the day before, "The government's reorganization plan has been submitted to the National Assembly, and a bipartisan consultative body has been formed in the Assembly to discuss it." However, despite the resumption of the ruling and opposition '3+3 Policy Consultative Body' after about a month, differences in positions regarding the abolition of the ministry have not been narrowed.

The gap in public opinion remains as well. Regarding the view that there is no longer justification for the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to exist since gender discrimination has largely disappeared in our society, Minister Kim drew a clear line, stating, "The existence of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the achievement of gender equality are not equivalent."

Minister Kim elaborated, "There are still elements of inequality felt by women and men in various social sectors of our society. Although legal and institutional aspects have greatly improved and younger generations have largely moved away from the past dichotomous thinking of men as economic actors and women as caregivers, women pointed out career interruptions and employment discrimination based on gender, while men hope for improvements in work-life imbalance caused by long working hours."

Regarding the opinion that it is difficult to sympathize with the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's claim that the purpose of promoting gender equality policies is to improve gender discrimination while pushing for the abolition of the ministry on the grounds that structural gender discrimination does not exist, Minister Kim countered, "Maintaining employment is crucial to reducing wage gaps, so policies that sustain employment are very important. Furthermore, it is necessary to provide extensive support for reemployment and entrepreneurship after career interruptions."

Minister Kim added, "The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family is announcing the 3rd Basic Plan for Gender Equality Policy, which includes creating a fair and gender-equal labor environment, establishing a care safety net for all, and spreading a culture of gender equality where men and women coexist harmoniously."

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