Opposition: "Unprecedented Situation of Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Undergoing National Audit Without a Minister"

Kim Han-gyu, Opposition Whip, "Arrange a Place for Discussion"
Lee Yeon-hee, Lawmaker, "Are They Trying to Kill the Ministry of Gender Equality?"

With the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family's ministerial position vacant for seven months, opposition lawmakers belonging to the National Assembly's Gender Equality and Family Committee pointed out that "an unprecedented situation has occurred where the national audit is being conducted this year without a minister."

Kim Han-gyu, an opposition secretary of the Gender Equality and Family Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, stated at the full committee meeting on the morning of the 11th, "The deputy minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family has to attend minister-level meetings as well as deputy minister-level meetings, and there is a considerable amount of actual work to be performed. The deputy minister has not been in office for long, and most of the aides are not from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, so significant difficulties are expected," highlighting the issue.

Since the resignation of former Minister Kim Hyun-sook was accepted in February, the Yoon Seok-yeol administration has not appointed a new minister for the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. Currently, Deputy Minister Shin Young-sook is acting on behalf of the minister.

Kim Han-gyu, Member of the Democratic Party of Korea. Photo by Heo Young-han younghan@

Lawmaker Kim urged, "At the committee level, the government should be clearly urged to appoint a minister regarding this matter. Is it that the committee has nothing to say about the current vacancy?" and added, "Please arrange a meeting so that the chairperson, the ruling party secretary, and I (the opposition secretary) can discuss this."

At the same time, criticism was raised regarding the director of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family's Rights Promotion Bureau, which has been vacant for six months. Lee Yeon-hee, a Democratic Party lawmaker, said, "The director of the core department, the Rights Promotion Bureau, has been left vacant for a long time," and added, "I hope this is not a deliberate attempt to let the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family wither away by not appointing a minister and the director of the core department."

Lawmaker Lee also urged, "The deepfake issue is very serious, and sexual violence problems continue to spread, so I hope the chairperson will play a role in normalizing the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, which is the dedicated department to handle these issues."

In response, Deputy Minister Shin said, "The vacancy in the Rights Promotion Bureau is not due to the reasons you mentioned but is related to internal personnel management," and added, "I will separately visit the committee member to provide a detailed report on the situation."