'Jamboree Disruption' Puts Ministry of Gender Equality Under Spotlight... "A Ministry with Clearly Defined Limits from the Start"

As the '2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree' nears its conclusion, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the main overseeing agency, is facing mounting criticism. Although the venue was relocated due to typhoon risks, the event has effectively been plagued by disruptions since its inception. There is a prevailing sentiment within the ministry that it cannot evade responsibility, and voices of criticism from other government departments are also significant, suggesting that substantial follow-up actions will take place after the jamboree ends.

According to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on the 11th, the list of committee members for the jamboree organizing committee submitted to the National Assembly in March included five co-chairpersons: Kim Hyun-sook, Minister of Gender Equality and Family; Park Bo-gyun, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Han Chang-seop, Vice Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (then acting minister); Kim Yoon-duk, member of the Democratic Party of Korea; and Kang Tae-seon, President of the Korea Scout Association. Also listed was Kim Kwan-young, Governor of Jeonbuk Province, as the executive chairman.

Various related ministries were involved in the World Jamboree. The event itself was hosted by the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) and the Korea Scout Association (KSA), and organized by the '2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree Organizing Committee.' The organizing committee was established in July 2020, composed of central and local governments and private experts, initially co-chaired by then Minister of Gender Equality and Family Lee Jung-ok and Assemblyman Kim Yoon-duk. Subsequently, on February 28, the committee expanded to a five-person co-chair system by appointing the Minister of the Interior and Safety, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the President of the Korea Scout Association as additional chairpersons. Furthermore, a government support committee chaired by the Prime Minister was set up to review related policies.

Kim Hyun-sook, Minister of Gender Equality and Family, is entering the Saemangeum Jamboree Emergency Response Team meeting held on the 9th in the situation room of the Government Seoul Office. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

However, from the outset, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family was the supervising agency, and it cannot deny its responsibility for the jamboree's operation. According to the 'Special Act on Support for the Saemangeum World Jamboree,' promulgated on December 18, 2018, the organizing committee must be established with the approval of the minister in charge, the Minister of Gender Equality and Family. When budget execution and approval are required for preparations and operations such as borrowing funds or requesting the dispatch of public officials, approval from the Minister of Gender Equality and Family is mandatory.

As a result, criticism of the ministry has continued daily within the public service community. A public official from a metropolitan local government who received jamboree participants said, "The organizing committee never informed us how many participants would come or their gender, so we could only accurately determine the number of participants after their arrival." He added, "Because they did not provide information on gender and numbers, there was a situation where women had to be accommodated in male dormitories, leading to a frantic scramble to secure new accommodations." He further stated, "The organizing committee failed to communicate even basic matters, and on-site, there were even comments that it would be better if the organizing committee did not get involved."

There are also opinions that the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family should not have been in charge of such a large-scale event from the beginning. A central government official said, "Unlike other ministries, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family does not have the authority to mobilize large numbers of personnel or contingency funds," adding, "Since it is primarily a policy department, its limitations are clear, making emergency response difficult."

On the 9th, Jamboree Scout members were walking the streets near Myeongdong, Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Within the public service community, there are also criticisms that the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family lacked a sense of responsibility for this jamboree. This is partly because the ministry was slated for abolition following the inauguration of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration last year. Minister Kim, who agreed to the ministry's abolition during the confirmation hearing, even made remarks suggesting the jamboree would be transferred. During the National Assembly’s Gender Equality and Family Committee inspection on October 25 last year, when asked about the need for measures against heatwaves, heavy rain, and pest control, Minister Kim mentioned "Governor Kim Kwan-young of Jeonbuk Province" and responded, "I will take full responsibility to ensure it is properly transferred."

There is also an atmosphere within the ministry acknowledging this responsibility. A ministry official stated, "It will be difficult for the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to escape overall responsibility as a central government agency," but added, "The jamboree organizing committee is the institution that executes and oversees the event, and since the executive chairman is the Governor of Jeonbuk Province, the division of roles is also accurate."

Meanwhile, the Office of the President’s Public Service Ethics Secretary is reportedly considering an inspection of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and others after the World Jamboree concludes on the 12th. It is also expected that the Board of Audit and Inspection will include the event in its audit targets. In the National Assembly, the Gender Equality and Family Committee has agreed to question Minister Kim about the jamboree-related issues at the full committee meeting scheduled for the 25th, so responsibility for the minister is expected to be a major topic after the event ends.