South Korea’s new conservative government said Thursday it will push to abolish a ministry on gender equality and create a new agency tasked with broader responsibilities, one of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s contentious campaign promises that roiled March’s hotly contested election.
During the campaign, Yoon faced criticism that his vow to scrap the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family sought to appeal to young male voters who decry gender equality policies in a highly competitive job market. Yoon said it was time to launch a body with more comprehensive roles, saying women in South Korea no longer faced structural barriers to success.
