9-month vacancy of gender minister post disrupts ministry's work

Former Minister of Gender Equality and Family Kim Hyun-sook speaks during a farewell ceremony at the Government Complex in Seoul, Feb. 21. Korea Times photo by Wang Tae-seok By Lee Hae-rin The prolonged vacancy in the top post at the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family is disrupting its operations, with increasing calls for a new appointment to prevent a further waste of the organization's personnel and budget resources.

The minister's position has remained vacant since February, following the resignation of former Minister Kim Hyun-sook. Currently, Vice Minister Shin Young-sook is serving as the acting minister. The vacancy has not been filled quickly because President Yoon Suk Yeol has pledged to abolish the ministry.



However, the abolition has not yet occurred, as it requires revisions to relevant laws in the National Assembly, where opposition parties, who control the Assembly, are opposed to the plan. According to data submitted by the ministry to Rep. Baek Seung-a of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Sunday, four employees who had worked in the minister’s office remained there after her departure.

However, they were later reassigned to other departments, except for one worker. One worker was dispatched to another department one month after Kim's resignation, another worker after two months, and the third one after seven months. The fourth worker, who used to be in charge of the minister's vehicle, is still in the position.

The ministry is still holding onto the vehicle, a Hyundai Genesis G80, incurring a monthly rental cost of nearly 2 million won ($1,432) for the nine months the minister’s position has remained vacant. “The prolonged absence of the head of the ministry has disrupted the ministry’s unique work in youth support and response to sex crimes, but also wasted the budget,” Baek said. “President Yoon Suk Yeol should appoint a minister as soon as possible to normalize the ministry,” she said.

The vacancy of the position became a point of controversy during last month’s parliamentary audit. DPK Rep. Kim Han-kyu said, “It is an unprecedented situation to conduct a parliamentary audit without a minister .

.. We do not leave even a head of a village vacant for this long.

” Another DPK lawmaker Kim Nam-hee also highlighted the ministry’s responsibility to tackle deepfake crimes. Lawmakers from the ruling conservative People Power Party (PPP) also called for a swift appointment. “We also agree that it is not desirable for the ministry to have an inspection while the minister (post) is vacant this year,” said Rep.

Cho Eun-hee from PPP. The vacancy of the position has also garnered attention from international women's rights organizations. In June, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) urged the Korean government to appoint a minister for the gender ministry.

“The committee is concerned that this (abolition of the ministry) could lead to the fragmentation and de-prioritization of legal and policy frameworks dedicated to the advancement of women,” it said. “The committee is further concerned by the failure to appoint a minister for gender equality and family, the drastic reduction in the budget of the ministry, and retrogressive policies on women ..

. Additionally, the committee is concerned about the limited participation of women’s organizations in the design and implementation of national plans and strategies for the advancement of women.” The ministry confirmed at a recent regular briefing that “there is nothing currently prepared” regarding the appointment of a minister.

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