[Exclusive] Ministry of Gender Equality Cuts Budget for 'Gender Equality,' Reduces Funding for 11 of 19 Women's Policy Projects

Next Year's Gender Equality Policy Budget Cut by 2.5%
Most 'Gender Equality' Related Projects Reduced
'Project Execution Rate, Effectiveness' Cited as Reasons for Cuts
Civil Groups Say "National Gender Equality Policy in the Red"

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family has cut the budget for 'gender equality' policies in next year's budget, with most of the budgets for women's policies, including gender equality, being reduced. Concerns are emerging that the current government, which has announced the abolition of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the integration and transfer of its functions to other ministries, is reducing the proportion of policies in the field of gender equality and focusing only on family and population policies.

According to the 'Detailed Breakdown of the 2024 Budget Proposal for the Women's Policy Bureau Compared to the Previous Year,' submitted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to the office of Yang Yi-won-young, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, on the 2nd, 11 out of 19 projects executed by the Women's Policy Bureau were cut. Most of the budget cuts were related to gender equality projects (9 projects). Additionally, two projects related to rights protection were also reduced.

Earlier, the government announced that the total budget for the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family for next year increased by 9.4% (147.58 billion KRW) compared to this year's budget, but the budget for gender equality policies was reduced by 2.5% (6.196 billion KRW).

Looking at the budget by project, many cuts were made reflecting the execution rate and effectiveness of the projects. In other words, budgets were cut for projects with poor evaluation results. For the project related to 'Coordination and Consultation on Gender Equality Policies,' the budget was reduced considering this year's project execution rate. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family explained that budgets were reduced for projects in the areas of 'Gender Equality and Expansion of Women's Social Participation Contest,' 'Strengthening External Cooperation,' and 'Creating a Gender-Equal Organizational Culture,' reflecting the scope of beneficiaries and project effectiveness. In the 'Creating a Gender-Equal Organizational Culture' sector, the budget was also reduced due to institutional participation demand.

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol reiterated his pledge to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, stating, "Isn't it time for the ministry to fulfill its historical mission?" Meanwhile, on the 14th, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family at the Government Seoul Office, facing a crossroads regarding its existence, is stirring unrest amid a restless atmosphere. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

For the affiliated institution, the Korea Institute for Gender Equality Promotion and Education, project funds, operating expenses, contingency funds, and self-generated income budgets were all cut except for personnel expenses. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family stated that the reason for cutting project funds was to 'adjust project implementation priorities.' Specifically, budgets for the 'Digital Education Operation Project for Violence Prevention Targeting University Students' and the 'Asia Gender Expert Training and Cooperation Project' were reduced.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family appears to have placed a higher budget proportion on family policies, including flagship projects such as support for multicultural and single-parent families and childcare services. The family policy budget accounts for 69.8% of next year's budget proposal, an increase of 16.6% (170.71 billion KRW) compared to this year's budget. On the other hand, youth policies, along with gender equality policies, were cut by 6.9% (17.318 billion KRW) compared to this year's budget, which is expected to impact project execution.

This runs counter to the stance of the Yoon Seok-youl administration, which has emphasized 'gender equality' alongside the abolition of the ministry. President Yoon emphasized during his 2021 presidential campaign that "the core of realizing gender equality is actively supporting women's social advancement." Minister Kim Hyun-sook of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family has repeatedly stated that "policy capabilities will be focused on expanding the foundation for gender-equal jobs." If the ministry's abolition proceeds along with cuts to the gender equality policy budget, projects aimed at creating a gender-equal organizational culture and expanding women's social participation to resolve gender imbalance will inevitably see their share reduced.

Earlier, the 'Joint Action to Withdraw Budget Cuts for Preventing Violence Against Women and Supporting Victims (Joint Action),' composed of 12 councils and solidarity groups nationwide including Korea Women's Hotline and 569 organizations, held a press conference on the 30th of last month to protest the drastic budget cuts for preventing violence against women and supporting victims.

Choi Yoo-yeon, head of the Women's Human Rights Counseling Center at Korea Women's Hotline, also pointed out regarding the gender equality policy budget cuts, "It seems that all women's policy development, gender analysis, and gender equality culture expansion projects under the Women's Policy Bureau have been cut." She added, "Most things related to women, gender, and gender equality are being cut." She criticized, "Cutting budgets based on last year's performance without considering policy significance can only be seen as the state not fulfilling its role," calling it "a serious situation that is putting the country's gender equality policies into the 'negative.'"

Regarding the gender equality policy budget cuts, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family explained, "Overall, it reflects negative evaluations or lower-tier assessment items," and added, "In some cases, the cuts are not reductions but transfers to regional centers and others."