The South Korean president says that eliminating the Ministry of Equality seeks to “strengthen the protection of women”

Oct. 7 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The president of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, defended this Friday his plans to eliminate the Ministry of Equality and stressed that this will “strengthen the protection of women” by transferring these powers to the Health portfolio.

“To abolish the Ministry of Equality is to strengthen the protection of women, families, children and vulnerable people,” Yoon said, referring to one of his promises during his election campaign, despite criticism from opponents and activists, as reported by the South Korean news agency Yonhap.

Women’s rights groups have protested against this initiative, considering that it will significantly reduce the Government’s initiatives in terms of equality. The Executive has advocated replacing this portfolio with a Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs.

In this sense, more than one hundred groups in defense of women’s rights have issued a joint statement this Friday promising a campaign against these government plans, which they describe as contrary to gender equality and democracy, as reported by the Bloomberg news agency.

The reform, announced by the Minister of the Interior, Lee Sang Min, requires the approval of Parliament, where the measure could run into the opposition – which holds the majority in the National Assembly – and which advocates maintaining the Ministry of Equality.