Women's Group's 'Yoon Dismissal' Declaration on the Current Situation: "May the Human Rights and Equality of All Be Protected"

"Set Back Gender Equality Values Over 2 Years"

On the 6th, women's organizations urged, "We dismiss Yoon Seok-yeol, a criminal of treason who destroyed the constitutional order and democracy of the Republic of Korea, in the name of women citizens."

The Korean Women's Associations United, composed of 29 women's organizations, held a 'Women's Community National Situation Declaration' press conference at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on the morning of the same day, stating, "Yoon Seok-yeol, who committed treason and instantly turned back the clock of democracy to the starting point and proved unconstitutional abuse of power and dictatorial acts himself, can no longer be tolerated as president."

The coalition pointed out, "Since the election period, Yoon Seok-yeol denied structural gender discrimination, announced a pledge to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, and used discrimination and hateful sentiments against women and minorities as political resources, foretelling anti-democratic governance even before his presidential election. Furthermore, in just a short period of about two and a half years since his inauguration, he has regressed the values, policies, and implementation systems of gender equality in the Republic of Korea, which had gradually advanced over the past several decades, at an unprecedented scale and speed."

Yonhap News

They cited attempts to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, removal of the terms ‘women’ and ‘gender equality’ from policy language, deletion, reduction, and downgrading of gender equality promotion systems in central and local governments, drastic cuts to the budget for violence against women, and the complete abolition of private employment equality counseling offices.

They emphasized, "We will not stand by as the democracy of the Republic of Korea, built by our own efforts, is violated and trampled upon by a president entrusted with authority by the people. Furthermore, to create a society where the human rights and equality of all people, including women and minorities, are protected, and to realize gender-equal democracy, we will fight relentlessly without retreat."