When the ratings slide, politicians often use issues to stop the decline. Presidential candidate Yoon Suk Yeol made a simple yet highly controversial Facebook post: “Abolish Ministry Gender Equality of Family,” The post has since attracted more than 11,000 comments and 34,000 likes. As expected, Yoon’s message touched off a fresh round of controversy over gender conflicts connected with the upcoming presidential election.
Some opponents say the ministry’s openly “women-oriented policies,” the Korean name translates as the “Ministry of women and family,” are unfair to men. The changing composition of Korean families warrants a new approach to female-male divisions. Meanwhile, the ministry’s supporters argue that the country still requires a state agency dedicated to promoting the rights of underprivileged women and addressing issues arising from a patriarchal society.
Yoon’s post aims to win back the support of male voters in their 20s, following a decline in his rating linked to an internal feud in his party. Yoon’s gesture is widely interpreted as a sign that he is taking advice from People Power Party Chairman Lee Jun Seok, who commands solid support from the particular demographic by calling some feminism-based policies discriminatory against men. Yoon clarified his Facebook posts by indicating that he supports abolishing the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and replacing it with a new ministry that no longer separates men and women. He claims that this new ministry would deal comprehensively with the issues of children, family, and the decline of the population. Yoon’s move is in line with his party’s policy as they are generally in favor of the disbanding of the Gender Equality Ministry, citing overlapping policies with other state agencies.
The ruling Democratic Party is opposed to abolishing the ministry, claiming it has made many achievements in advancing women’s rights. However, the abolishment of the Gender Ministry goes beyond a matter of the clashes between conservative and liberal. Instead, it could intensify gender conflict further with radical voices from both sexes raising volatile voices. The gender conflict, as demonstrated by the dispute over the role of the Gender Ministry, has been a hot issue riddled with misunderstanding and deep-rooted disparities in Korea’s social structure. The upcoming presidential election should provide opportunities for the public and politicians to re-examine the role of the Gender Ministry and whether it can be redefined. Regardless, exploiting gender conflict as a short-term gimmick to win votes should stop.
The Korea Herald, Aside from role of Gender Ministry, presidential candidates should not exploit gender clashes, Published on January 11th 2022.
