Bahk Eun-ji has been with The Korea Times since 2012, building a career across multiple desks. She began at the Business Desk, where she conducted in-depth interviews with key figures in Korea's corporate world. Later, she moved to the Politics & City Desk, focusing on education policy and social affairs. She later served as team leader of the digital content team, leading curation efforts on the newspaper’s homepage and reshaping print stories for social media audiences to enhance digital reach. Now back on the Politics Desk, she covers the National Assembly and the Ministry of National Defense, with a renewed focus on political developments.
Gender equality ministry becomes lightning rod before election
By Bahk Eun-ji
Debate has resurfaced over the existence of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, as leading conservative main opposition party presidential contender Yoon Seok-youl brought up the ministry's existence when he announced his election pledges last week.
Yoon Seok-youl /Yonhap
By Bahk Eun-ji
“The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family failed to properly perform its role to accomplish gender equality, but rather disappointed the public by treating men as potential criminals,” Yoon said, Thursday, while announcing his campaign pledges targeted at young voters.
“I will reorganize the ministry and readjust its tasks and budget so that the renewed ministry can embrace diversity and realize practical gender equality between men and women.”
Experts say that this particular campaign pledge is aimed at appealing to young male voters, who often question the reasons for the ministry's existence and call for its abolishment.
Yoon also said he would remove “women” from the ministry's full Korean name, which translates to “Ministry of Women and Family.”
In response, civic groups advocating for women's rights criticized Yoon's pledge as a move to instigate gender conflict and appeal to young male voters.
Regarding his pledge to reorganize the ministry, the Korea Women's Political Solidarity released a statement questioning if there is more meaning to the removal of women from the ministry's name.
“Removing the word 'women' from the name of a ministry without specific ideas or plans, while ignoring the current reality of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, in which its budget, authority and status as an independent ministry are not even guaranteed properly, is merely avoiding taking responsibility for policies toward women,” the group said in a statement.
“If such a person were to become president, it is questionable whether the lives of young women would really improve.”
Meanwhile, some experts pointed out that some politicians and citizens have doubts about the role of the gender ministry, and suggested that reform is necessary.
Political commentator Lee Jong-hoon said that the reason why some opposition parties are calling for the abolition of the gender ministry is mainly that their promises are aimed at younger male voters, but also the ministry is seen as having been insufficient in improving gender equality.
“There was criticism in political circles that the ministry did not respond actively to the #MeToo movement,” Lee said. “In order to resolve such skeptical views, the ministry also needs to change and show people it is improving.”
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family has been embroiled in controversy over its role in every presidential election since it was formed in 2001.
Earlier in July, debate over the ministry's future was ignited by Yoo Seong-min, a presidential hopeful of the conservative main opposition People Power Party (PPP), as he posted on social media that he would abolish the ministry if he were to become president.
Rep. Ha Tae-keung of the PPP also said that the ministry doesn't need to exist, as its duties can be fulfilled by other government organizations. PPP leader Lee Jun-seok has also criticized the gender equality ministry and supported Yoo's and Ha's pledges.