UN body says Korea should not abolish its Gender Ministry

A sign of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family at Government Complex Seoul [YONHAP]

A UN body called on Korea to scrap its plan to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family in a report released on Monday.

In concluding observations on the ninth periodic report of Korea, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (Cedaw) recommended rescinding "the provision on the abolition of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family" and "appointing a minister without further delay." The minister’s seat has been vacant for the past five months since Feb. 20 when former Gender Minister Kim Hyun-sook resigned.

The report also recommended the government to "retain the ministry’s functions in any reorganization."

Korea has been submitting a national report outlining its policy achievements every four years to the committee for review since ratifying the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women in 1984.

The UN body further advised the Korean government to “substantially increase the human, technical and financial resources” of the ministry and “provide capacity-building to its staff in order to enable it to effectively coordinate efforts to mainstream gender across all government departments.”

The Gender Ministry responded to the recommendations by saying that the government’s plan to abolish the ministry is intended to pursue policies related to gender "more efficiently." It added that the minister's appointment is the president’s right, and not a matter to be discussed by an international organization.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO, HAN YOUNG-HYE [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]