Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Responds to UN's 'Minister Appointment' Recommendation: "Not a Matter for International Organizations to Comment On" (Comprehensive)

"The Purpose of Abolishing the Ministry of Gender Equality is Policy Efficiency"
Eight-Month Vacancy Since Kim Haeng's Withdrawal
International Organizations and National Assembly Criticize Government
"Yoon Administration Deliberately Leaves Ministerial Post Vacant"

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (MOGEF) rebutted the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)'s recommendation to appoint the minister of MOGEF, stating that "the appointment authority is the exclusive right of the President, and it is not a matter for international organizations to comment on."

Kim Garo, spokesperson for MOGEF, said at a regular briefing held at the Government Seoul Office on the 5th regarding the committee's recommendation, "Since the UN expressed their views, we will closely review them with the relevant ministries."

Spokesperson Kim also reiterated the government's plan to abolish MOGEF. He emphasized, "The purpose of abolishing MOGEF is not to abolish or reduce gender equality policies but to promote gender equality policies more efficiently," adding, "The gender equality policy functions have not been abolished."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, on the 3rd (local time), the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) announced the final observations of the 9th periodic review of South Korea’s national report, urging the Korean government to withdraw the plan to abolish MOGEF and to immediately appoint the minister of MOGEF. The committee is a body that reviews the implementation status of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women by countries that have ratified the convention. South Korea joined in December 1984 and has submitted national reports on policy achievements in related fields to the UN every four years.

The position of MOGEF minister has been vacant for over three months since former Minister Kim Hyun-sook resigned on February 21. Currently, MOGEF is the only ministry without a minister among all government ministries. Deputy Minister Shin Young-sook is acting as the minister, but there are limitations to concurrently handling the duties of the head of the ministry. Inside the ministry, there are concerns that without a minister, it has become difficult to raise voices during inter-ministerial work processes. At the CEDAW review held last month in Geneva, Switzerland, all former ministers attended as representatives of Korea, but Deputy Minister Shin did not attend.

In particular, since former Minister Kim submitted her resignation following the ‘World Jamboree event mishandling controversy’ in September last year, and the newly nominated candidate Kim Haeng withdrew, there has been no officially appointed minister for about eight months. This has led to criticism that the government is withholding the appointment of a minister to facilitate the abolition of MOGEF.

Criticism has also been raised in the National Assembly demanding the appointment of a MOGEF minister. Jin Sung-jun, policy chief of the Democratic Party of Korea, said at the party’s floor meeting the day before, "President Yoon Seok-youl deliberately leaving the MOGEF minister position vacant is a serious neglect of the presidential duties prescribed by the Constitution and laws," and criticized, "While the minister of MOGEF is vacant, incidents such as the Gangnam officetel mother-daughter murder case and medical student dating murder crimes have been dominating the news every day."

Democratic Party lawmaker Jeon Jin-sook also issued a statement the same day, criticizing, "The MOGEF minister position has been vacant for over 100 days, which is a clear dereliction of duty by the President as the highest authority of state affairs," and added, "It is obvious that the Yoon administration’s regression in women’s policies will accelerate."

Women’s organizations have repeatedly urged the appointment of a minister. The Korean Women’s Associations United emphasized regarding the CEDAW results, "The functions of MOGEF, which should oversee and coordinate gender equality policies, must be normalized as soon as possible." The ‘National Civic Action to Prevent the Abolition of MOGEF and Strengthen Gender Equality Policies,’ consisting of 902 civic groups nationwide, also demanded after former Minister Kim’s resignation was accepted, "Appoint a ‘proper’ minister to realize gender equality policies and normalize MOGEF."

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