In the 'Minister Vacancy' Crisis... Deputy Minister Shin Young-sook Says "No Vacancy, Agrees to Ministry Abolition"

Shin Young-suk Vice Minister Repeatedly Emphasizes 'Organizational Restructuring'
Regarding 'Abolition of Ministry' Says "Agree with Abolition"
Major Director and Other Vacant Positions "Difficult to Resolve"

During the plenary meeting held by the National Assembly's Gender Equality and Family Committee for the first briefing of the 22nd National Assembly, opposition party lawmakers focused their questions on the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family regarding the responsibility for the 'ministerial vacancy crisis.' In response, Shin Young-sook, the acting minister and vice minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, stated, "Since the appointment is a matter for the appointing authority, it is difficult to comment specifically." Regarding the abolition of the ministry and organizational restructuring, she said, "I agree with the abolition."

On the morning of the 1st, at the plenary meeting of the Gender Equality and Family Committee held at the National Assembly main building, opposition lawmakers raised questions about the government's policy to abolish the ministry and the vacant minister position.

Kim Nam-hee, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, asked Vice Minister Shin, "Do you think it is acceptable for the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to be abolished?" and "Do you agree with the position, as former Minister Gam Hyun-sook did?" In response, Vice Minister Shin said, "The functions performed by the ministry are important," and added, "The ministry should be shaped in a way that can effectively carry out policies for various conditions and the needs of the beneficiaries." She further stated, "If that is the intention, I also agree with the abolition."

She then reiterated, "Even without a minister, we are carrying out the relevant duties without any gaps."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Questions also continued regarding the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which in June recommended that the Korean government withdraw the abolition plan of the ministry and immediately appoint a minister. Lee Yeon-hee, a Democratic Party lawmaker, said, "Globally, there has never been a case where a UN body urged a specific country to quickly appoint a minister to a specific entity," and asked, "Is there a reason why there was no face-to-face report to the president?" Vice Minister Shin replied, "A face-to-face report was made through the Secretariat."

In response, Rep. Lee pointed out, "Although the report was made, the minister has not been appointed until now, which seems to ignore the UN's recommendation."

Criticism also continued that the nearly six-month-long ministerial vacancy has weakened the driving force behind the ministry's major tasks. Kim Han-gyu, a Democratic Party lawmaker, said, "Comparing last year's briefing materials with this year's, similar expressions were repeated," and criticized, "If a ministry has fewer personnel and a smaller budget, it should establish policies more nimbly and discover agendas, but that is not happening." He added, "Last year, the former minister handled organizational restructuring based on the ministry's abolition and managed the Jamboree incident, and even though the minister officially retired in February, the absence of a minister was noticeable for a considerable period."

Rep. Kim also pointed out that the chairperson position of the Korea Healthy Family Promotion Agency, a subordinate organization responsible for major legislative amendments such as the advance payment system for child support and the revision of the Childcare Act, has been vacant for about one year and five months, and that the positions of Director of the Rights Promotion Bureau and Policy Planning Officer are also vacant. In response, Vice Minister Shin explained, "Due to the Jamboree last year, there were many difficulties in responding to audits," and added, "It is difficult to operate the organization smoothly, and personnel issues are the same. The vacancies currently existing are problems that are not easy for me to resolve."