Kim Hyun-sook, Minister of Gender Equality and Family Nominee, "Will Transform into a Future-Oriented Ministry"

Meeting reporters on first day of work: "Will listen to opinions of the people and opposition parties"
"Will resolve labor market fairness and women's career interruption issues"

Kim Hyun-sook, the nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, is attending a press conference on the afternoon of the 10th at the Presidential Transition Committee in Tongui-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, where the Yoon Suk-yeol administration announced the selection of candidates for ministers of eight government departments. She is responding to reporters' questions. Photo by the Transition Committee Press Photographers Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Kim Hyun-sook, the nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, said on the morning of the 11th, her first day at work after being appointed, "I will strive to transform the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family into a future-oriented ministry."

On that day, as Kim arrived at the office of the hearing preparation team set up at the Youth Activity Promotion Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, she told reporters, "I will practically resolve issues such as fairness in the labor market and career interruptions experienced during childbirth and childcare, in line with the new era, so that the ministry can be reborn as a future-oriented institution."

Kim also said, "I will honor the will of the president-elect, carefully listen to the opinions of the public, and through cooperation with the opposition party, listen to their voices and gather wisdom together to transform the ministry to fit the new era."

When asked whether her stance had changed regarding the policy to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, which she was in charge of at the transition committee, Kim replied, "I will explain in detail later."

In a statement released the day before her appointment, Kim said, "Based on the experience I have accumulated on the front lines of policy, I will focus on population, family, and child issues, and establish a new role for the ministry that can address the gender conflicts and difficulties faced by the younger generation in our society."

Kim began her political career in 2012 as a proportional representation member after serving as a research fellow at the Korea Institute of Public Finance and a professor in the Department of Economics at Soongsil University. She played a leading role in handling the civil servant pension reform, a key reform task of the Park Geun-hye administration. She served as the head of the "Happy Women Promotion Team" under the Saenuri Party's National Happiness Promotion Committee and was appointed as a member of the women's and culture division of the presidential transition committee during the Park Geun-hye administration, where she helped design women's policies.

Since the presidential election campaign of President-elect Yoon Seok-youl, Kim has supported policies across economic, social, and welfare sectors and served as a policy advisor after the election. She was responsible for policies related to the abolition of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and low birthrate and aging population issues, and will be in charge of the future restructuring of the ministry.