Liberal presidential front-runner Rep. Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea floated the idea of empowering the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on Wednesday, pledging a U-turn from the former Yoon Suk Yeol administration's bid to phase out the ministry.
Describing the Yoon administration's move as a "regression," Lee pledged to expand the role of the Gender Ministry in a way that promotes equal opportunities. He also vowed if elected president to strive for a balance in terms of gender and age when nominating Cabinet ministers, without elaborating on the threshold.
"Gender equality is a core value to achieving cohesion, tolerance and sustainability in society," Lee wrote in a Facebook post.
Lee's pledge contrasts from that of Yoon, who was ousted in April for declaring martial law in peacetime. Yoon had pledged ahead of the 2022 election to abolish the Gender Ministry. Throughout Yoon's term, Kim Hyun-sook was the only Gender Minister. Following her resignation in February 2024, Yoon did not name a successor to lead the ministry.
In June last year, the United Nations Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women recommended that the abolition of Korea's Gender Ministry be reconsidered, urging the Yoon administration to fill the vacancy for the ministry's top post.
Lee's proposed expansion was part of a government reorganization plan unveiled Wednesday, just before early in-person voting begins Thursday.
At a press briefing, Lee hinted at establishing a new ministry dedicated to climate change and energy transition, and carving the national budget function out of the Finance Ministry, alongside the reorganization of the Finance Ministry and the Financial Services Commission, a financial policymaking body.
Also on Wednesday, Lee estimated that his reform drive to focus on national economic growth would cost 215 trillion won ($157 billion) over the next five years.
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