This photo taken Jan. 10, 2022, shows a signboard of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family at the government complex in Seoul. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 14 (Korea Bizwire) — The National Human Rights Commission decided Friday to issue an official position recommending that it is better to restructure the gender ministry into an independent agency dealing exclusively with gender issues, rather than abolishing it.
The commission decided at a board meeting to deliver the position to the National Assembly speaker to call for a review of the government’s plan to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, and have the Ministry of Health and Welfare take over its roles.
The reorganization plan is subject to parliamentary approval.
Abolishing the ministry was one of President Yoon Suk-yeol’s campaign pledges.
The human rights watchdog expressed concern that abolishing the ministry could have negative effects on efforts to solve gender equality.
It said the government needs to reorganize the ministry into a new one dedicated to enhancing equality of the genders rather than abolishing it.
“If gender equality policies are not carried out at the ministry level, they could go on the back burner or become ineffective due to a lack of expertise,” the human rights commission said.
(Yonhap)
