SEOUL (HPD) — South Korea’s new conservative government announced Thursday that it will push for the elimination of the Ministry of Gender Equality and create a new body with greater responsibilities, one of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s campaign promises that sparked an outcry. uproar in the contested elections in March.
During the campaign, Yoon faced criticism that his promise to eliminate the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family was an appeal to young male voters who oppose gender equality policies in a highly competitive job market. Yoon said it was time to create an agency with a more comprehensive role, and she said that women in South Korea no longer face systemic barriers to success.
The prospects of his government’s plan effectively dismantling the ministry are unclear, because it requires approval from the National Assembly, which is controlled by liberal lawmakers. A women’s caucus of the Democratic Party, the main opposition progressive body, vowed to thwart the bill, saying women continue to face systemic discrimination.
Home Affairs and Security Minister Lee Sang-min said Thursday in a briefing teleconference that the government’s policies for women should be about equal rights for both men and women, as opposed to the current approach that focuses on resolving the inequalities faced by women.
Lee credited the Ministry of Gender Equality for its efforts to address discrimination against women, but said the agency has limited capacity to handle other issues such as generational and gender conflicts, demographic contraction and social problems of women. the elders.
Despite gradual improvements in women’s rights in South Korea, the country still has the worst gender pay gap in the developed world, and women remain significantly underrepresented in corporate boardrooms and government offices. High profile.