Departing Minister Kim Hyun-sook: "Reorganization of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Needed, My Conviction Remains Unchanged"

"It Was a Time of Challenging Efforts"

On the 21st, Kim Hyun-sook, Minister of Gender Equality and Family, who is stepping down from her ministerial position after completing official duties, stated in her farewell address, "My conviction that the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family should play a more practical role through organizational restructuring remains unchanged."

Minister Kim held a farewell ceremony at the Government Seoul Office in the afternoon and said, "Today, I am giving my final greeting."

She emphasized, "The past 21 months, which began with the new government, have been a challenging time not only for me but also for the entire Ministry of Gender Equality and Family family. Working alongside those marginalized at the lowest levels, I wanted to transform our ministry’s work?which absolutely requires collaboration with other ministries?so that it could be carried out within a larger organizational framework rather than the current Ministry of Gender Equality and Family."

She continued, "From the perspective of our ministry’s family, the uncertain future may have caused anxiety, and there were also forward-looking voices calling for fundamental changes in the organizational structure. I am confident that all of this will become a solid foundation for the new future of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family."

Gender Equality Project - Kim Hyun-sook, Minister of Gender Equality and Family. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

Minister Kim said, "The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family faces the significant task of resolving social conflicts amid the massive waves of generational and gender conflicts, low birth rates, and aging, while caring for socially vulnerable groups and strengthening the value of family. Strengthening the protection system for victims of the five major types of violence, including stalking crimes and digital sex crimes, is also a task that must be accomplished."

She also emphasized the value of 'humanism.' She explained, "As I leave now, I am reminded once again of the ordinary truth that the value the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family family should cherish is humanism. I dare say that what we do is not simply about allocating budgets, holding meetings, or commissioning services, but it is a matter of life for some desperate individuals."

She added, "The Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s principles of state governance are national interest, practicality, fairness, and common sense. Practicing policies that warmly accompany socially vulnerable groups with all our heart and sincerity is indeed an important value that public officials of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family must uphold."

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