Possibility of Relocating Affiliated Organizations to Sejong with the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family
"Unifying Gender Equality Functions Scattered Across Multiple Ministries"
Kang Sunwoo, nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, stated regarding the potential relocation of the ministry to Sejong, "If the relevant laws are amended, I will follow the outcome."
Kang Sunwoo, nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, is attending the confirmation hearing held by the National Assembly's Gender Equality and Family Committee on July 14, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyunmin
On July 14, during the confirmation hearing held by the National Assembly's Gender Equality and Family Committee, Kang responded to a question from Lee Yeonhee, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea, who asked about the numerous requests for the ministry to be relocated to Sejong. Kang made this statement in response.
When asked whether relocating to Sejong would enhance the ministry's status or improve policy collaboration between ministries, Kang expressed agreement, stating, "I agree."
Since the completion of the relocation of central government ministries to Sejong in 2019, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family has remained in its original building, just like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Unification, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of National Defense.
This is because the Special Act on the Construction of Multifunctional Administrative City, which outlines the relocation plans for central administrative agencies, designates these five ministries as exceptions to the Sejong relocation.
After the launch of the new administration, as the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, which was previously located in Sejong, is being relocated to Busan, calls for relocating not only the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family but also the National Assembly and the Office of the President to Sejong have intensified.
On this day, Kang also expressed a positive stance on the idea that, if the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family is relocated to Sejong, affiliated organizations such as the Korean Institute for Gender Equality Promotion and Education should move together.
She stated, "There needs to be an effort to unify gender equality functions that are currently dispersed across various ministries," and added, "I want to do my utmost to collaborate and communicate with other ministries so that the ministry can fully serve as a control tower and governance body for gender equality."
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