Ministry of Education and National Police Agency Repeatedly Requested to Maintain Ministry of Gender Equality's '117 Center' Before Notification of Suspension

Materials Submitted by Lee Sujin, Democratic Party Office
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The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, which jointly operated the '117 School Violence Reporting Center' with the Ministry of Education and the National Police Agency, was confirmed to have been requested multiple times to continue operating the center through face-to-face meetings and official letters before notifying the suspension of support for the center.

According to data received on the 7th from the Ministry of Education and the National Police Agency by Rep. Lee Su-jin of the Democratic Party of Korea, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family verbally informed the Ministry of Education on July 25, after the government proposal was submitted in May, that the 2024 budget had not been secured.

The 117 School Violence Reporting Center project has been operated since 2012 by the Ministry of Education, the National Police Agency, and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, each deploying dedicated counseling personnel to provide urgent relief for victims of school violence. The total number of counselors at the 117 School Violence Reporting Center was 174, of which 34 were dispatched personnel from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In response, officials from the Ministry of Education, the National Police Agency, and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family requested the operation of the center through a work consultation held two days later on the 27th. Subsequently, on August 4, the Ministry of Education also sent an official letter requesting cooperation to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. On the 29th of the same month, the Ministry of Education and the National Police Agency reportedly held a second meeting with officials from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to once again request the maintenance of current center personnel and continuous operation.

However, on September 11, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family notified the Ministry of Education and the National Police Agency of the suspension of the reporting center operation project. A week later, officials from the Ministry of Education and the National Police Agency met with officials from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to demand continuous operation along with alternative measures. Nevertheless, on the 25th of the same month, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family informed the Ministry of Education and the National Police Agency that it would terminate support for the center project, citing the reason that "there is no clear legal basis for dispatching personnel."

Cooperation Timeline of Related Agencies [Source: Office of Lee Su-jin, Democratic Party of Korea]

During this process, it was also identified that the National Police Agency continuously sent official letters requesting cooperation to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. According to the official letter requested by the National Police Agency to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on September 11, it was conveyed that "as has been requested several times already, maintaining the current personnel is necessary for the stable operation of the center."

With the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family cutting the entire related budget of about 1.1 billion won in next year's budget plan, the dispatch of 34 personnel has also been completely halted. A reduction in budget and personnel inevitably causes disruptions in the center's operation. In this regard, it was confirmed that the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family also requested legal advice last month on the 23rd to inquire whether the suspension of the project violates the Dispatch Act.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family stated, "It is true that the relevant budget was cut in the government proposal, and we are currently negotiating the related budget."

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