As President Lee Jae-myung pointed out the issue of domestic sanitary pad prices, attention is on whether the government will move to contract manufacturing as a plan to supply low-cost sanitary pads.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family is reviewing measures with related ministries, keeping various options open such as in-kind provision and voucher support.
According to the government and others on the 25th, the Gender Equality Ministry held an internal meeting on the 22nd to discuss measures to resolve the issue of domestic sanitary pad prices.
It was reported that, in response to criticism that domestic sanitary pads are priced high due to premiumization, the Gender Equality Ministry reviewed several options, including the government contracting out production of basic-quality sanitary pads for free distribution.
Together with related ministries including the Korea Fair Trade Commission, the government decided to check whether there is price padding in the domestic sanitary pad manufacturing or distribution process and to seek measures based on the factors behind price increases.
An official at the Gender Equality Ministry said, "Given that sanitary pads, an essential good used by women for more than 30 years, have seen prices rise rapidly, we need to see what policies could be involved," adding, "There is also a view that disposable sanitary pads negatively affect the environment, so it is not easy to draw a quick conclusion. We are seriously reviewing various options."
At a briefing with the Gender Equality Ministry and the Korea Fair Trade Commission on the 19th of last month, President Lee noted that domestic sanitary pad prices are so high that many buy from overseas and ordered a fact-finding review.
At a Cabinet meeting on the 20th, Lee again pointed out the sanitary pad price issue, saying, "We are considering studying making sanitary pads with very basic quality cheaply and supplying them for free," and "Have (the government) consider contract manufacturing and free distribution to certain groups."
Currently, each local government is running programs to provide sanitary pads to vulnerable groups.
The Gender Equality Ministry is running a program that provides 14,000 won per month for menstrual products to women and adolescents in households eligible for basic livelihood guarantee benefits, the near-poor, and single-parent family support, but complaints reportedly continue to be filed that sanitary pad prices are high.