New Low Birthrate Department Established... What Will Happen to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family? [Why&Next]

President Yoon Announces Strong Control Tower to Address Low Birthrate
Government Ministries Brace for Major 'Paradigm Shift'
Possible Reassignment of Ministries Handling Population Issues
'YeoGaBu' Survival Status Likely to Be a Variable

President Yoon Suk-yeol has decided to establish the ‘Low Birthrate Response Planning Department’ as an organization led by a Deputy Prime Minister, raising the possibility of a large-scale reorganization of the government. To compensate for the limitations of the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee (Jeogowi), which had weak policy execution capabilities, a strong control tower will be created, and it is widely expected that the departments handling population issues across various ministries will be integrated. It is anticipated that related departments within the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Economy and Finance will be transferred to the newly established organization, with Jeogowi being completely absorbed. However, since the Democratic Party of Korea, which holds the majority of seats, opposes the abolition of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the fate of the ministry is expected to be a variable.

President Yoon Suk-yeol is holding a press conference on the morning of the 9th at the briefing room of the Yongsan Presidential Office Building in Seoul to mark the 2nd anniversary of his inauguration. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 9th, President Yoon stated at a press conference, “We will establish the Low Birthrate Response Planning Department, a planning ministry to prepare for low birthrate and aging,” adding, “The minister of the Low Birthrate Response Planning Department will serve as the Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs to formulate policies encompassing education, labor, and welfare, making it a national agenda beyond simple welfare policies.” He also requested active cooperation from the National Assembly to amend the Government Organization Act to establish the Low Birthrate Response Planning Department.

President Yoon emphasized, “The low birthrate issue has been divided among various ministries, and the presidential advisory Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee (Jeogowi), which has a strong advisory nature, does not have the authority to decide or enforce policies,” and added, “We plan to establish the Low Birthrate Response Planning Department as a strong control tower, similar to the Economic Planning Board that vigorously promoted economic growth in the past.” This plan aims to create an effective government organization to break through the population crisis, as Jeogowi, which has played the role of a population policy control tower, has not been able to perform substantial functions. It has been pointed out that Jeogowi, not being an independent central administrative agency, has limitations in independently planning and implementing policies.

Inside and outside the government, there are forecasts of a major upheaval in the government organization. The Democratic Party of Korea also shares a consensus on the need to address the low birthrate issue and promised to establish a ‘Population Crisis Response Department’ during the April 10 general election, so it is expected to cooperate in amending the Government Organization Act. In fact, Park Chan-dae, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, said, “We are positively in favor of establishing the Low Birthrate Response Planning Department,” and “We will review whether there is any cooperation needed as the opposition party.” If the Democratic Party cooperates with the amendment of the Government Organization Act, the push to establish the new ministry is expected to gain momentum.

It is highly likely that departments responsible for population-related tasks from various ministries, such as the Population Policy Office of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Immigration and Foreign Policy Headquarters of the Ministry of Justice, and the Future Strategy Bureau of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, will be absorbed into the newly established organization. Civil servants who have been working on related tasks may also be transferred. A government official said, “Since the new organization is being created to play a strong control tower role in population issues, it is expected that the departments of the relevant ministries will be absorbed,” adding, “However, issues such as the transfer of affiliated agencies involve sharp conflicts of interest among ministries, so it may take some time.”

Key Variable 'Ministry of Gender Equality and Family'... Democratic Party "Retention" vs Government and Ruling Party "Abolition"

Since Jeogowi will be absorbed into the Low Birthrate Response Planning Department, the current organization is expected to be abolished. A senior government official diagnosed, “Jeogowi, which was not an independent central administrative agency and had weak autonomous policy decision-making power, should be seen as being elevated to the Low Birthrate Response Planning Department.” Accordingly, discussions are expected to proceed regarding the abolition of Article 23 of the Framework Act on Low Birthrate and Aging Society, which defines Jeogowi’s organization and roles. However, a Jeogowi official said, “We have not yet received specific details.”

The variable is the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. While the government and ruling party have advocated for the abolition of the ministry, the Democratic Party has demanded its retention. During the general election, the ruling party pledged to establish a population department to absorb the functions of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. Recently, there have been voices within the ministry suggesting a reduction of its role with abolition in mind, such as appointing a senior official from the Ministry of Health and Welfare as the Grade 1 Planning and Coordination Officer. The ministerial post of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family has remained vacant since February. The director position of the Rights Promotion Bureau, responsible for the area of violence against women within the ministry, has also been vacant for two months.

However, since the Democratic Party has opposed the abolition of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, there may be differences in opinion during discussions on transferring or reallocating the ministry’s functions related to low birthrate, care, and child-rearing to the new organization. A Democratic Party official said, “Organizational restructuring is the government’s authority, so the government’s proposal must come out first,” adding, “Based on that, discussions can be held in the National Assembly.” A Ministry of Gender Equality and Family official stated, “We have not received any separate information regarding organizational restructuring.”