Minister Won Min-kyong of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said on the 23rd, "In the areas where men feel discrimination, the part related to military service seems likely to be the largest."
The Minister said at her first press briefing since taking office, held in Jongno-gu, Seoul, that "we are planning a forum for public discussion in the form of a pilot concert, five times starting on the 29th, to hear at which points (male) young people feel they are at a disadvantage."
President Lee Jae-myung has previously mentioned reverse discrimination against men several times. At a Cabinet meeting on the 14th, the president said, "Across our society as a whole, structural sex discrimination against women exists," while adding, "In certain areas, there are exceptional parts where men are discriminated against."
The Minister also said, "Our ministry must now move beyond a time of vacancy into a time of 'restoration,'" adding, "We will be reborn as a ministry that restores trust in gender equality policy and meets the public's expectations."
She went on, "My heart and body are busy to move the hands of the gender equality ministry's clock that have stopped for three years," and "I will make it a ministry where 300 employees play the role of 'one doing the work of three,' delivering the efficacy of 1,000 people."
The Minister is the inaugural head of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, launched on the 1st of this month. Previously, the ministerial post of its predecessor, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, had been vacant for 18 months.
On gender conflict, the Minister said, "Rather than the term gender conflict, I would like to use expressions such as difference in perspective or perception," adding, "I think it is essential for moving toward a gender-equal society that we work together to resolve the areas where the young generation is feeling and perceiving disadvantages."
Regarding the Cambodian crime syndicate case, the Minister said, "This case did not happen recently but has been going on for years, and it seems we were unable to respond to overseas human trafficking because we were focused on domestic human trafficking," adding, "We have drawn up a roadmap to build a cooperation system for overseas human trafficking."
On the introduction of medication for pregnancy termination, designated as a state agenda item, the Minister said, "I hope it will be realized as soon as possible and am watching the discussion process." On follow-up legislation after the Constitutional Court's decision of nonconformity with the Constitution on the crime of abortion, she said, "Several ministries are currently collecting opinions together."