"Having the Ministry of Unification Does Not Mean Unification, Having the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Does Not Mean Women's Happiness"
Jin-tae Kim, Chairman of the Chuncheon City Party Committee of the People Power Party [Provided by the People Power Party Chuncheon City Party]
[Asia Economy Reporter La Young-cheol] Recently, the 'abolition theory of the Ministry of Unification and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family' sparked by Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, has led to a verbal clash with Lee In-young, Minister of Unification, while Kim Jin-tae, chairman of the People Power Party Chuncheon City Party Members' Council, has come out in support of Lee's remarks.
On the 13th, Chairman Kim expressed support for Lee through SNS, saying, "Lee Jun-seok's statement about abolishing the Ministry of Unification and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family has caused a stir, but it was well said. Everyone thinks it, but no one has spoken out."
He continued, "Having the Ministry of Unification does not mean unification will happen, and having the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family does not mean women are happy," adding, "On the contrary, the Ministry of Unification only thinks about providing aid to North Korea even after being hit by artillery and gunfire, and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, despite spending 35 trillion won on gender-sensitive budgets (comparable to the defense budget), has even neglected victims of sexual violence."
He emphasized, "It is now time to seriously consider the abolition of administrative agencies that have lost their functions."
Earlier, on the 12th, Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, repeatedly argued for the abolition of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the Ministry of Unification, stating they are "departments whose lifespan is over or that originally had no role."
At the Supreme Council meeting, Lee said, "The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the Ministry of Unification are special-purpose ministries that have existed for over 20 years, so it is time to evaluate their special missions."
Regarding the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Lee criticized, "Domestic gender conflicts are worsening day by day, but the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family continues to engage in activities beyond its scope to justify its existence, such as promoting a 2.5 billion won ODA project for local women in Indonesia."
He also criticized the Ministry of Unification, saying, "North Korea blew up the (inter-Korean joint) liaison office, killed our citizens, and incinerated their bodies, yet the ministry has said nothing."
In response, Lee In-young, Minister of Unification, rebutted, "I will work harder as Minister of Unification to achieve progress in inter-Korean relations, but I hope Lee Jun-seok will stop displaying his inadequate historical awareness and social perception by calling for the abolition of the Ministry of Unification."
He added, "Is it that sharing flowers with the women of the Ministry of Unification on March 8, International Women's Day, is boring or meaningless? Lee Jun-seok's gender sensitivity is still strange."
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