Introduction 1. The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) submits this opinion to the Pre-Sessional Working Group of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) regarding the List of Issues in the process of consideration of the 9th periodic report of the Republic of Korea concerning the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (hereinafter, the “Convention”). 2. The NHRCK is an independent national human rights institution with “A” status, monitoring the implementation of the Convention in Korea. This report aims to present major issues on the implementation of the Convention in Korea in order to assist the CEDAW in formulating the List of Issues. Issue 1: The Attempt to Abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (MOGEF) Current Status 3. On October 7, 2022, the current administration announced a governmental reorganization plan to abolish MOGEF and instead establish the “Population, Family, and Gender Equality Division” under the umbrella of the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), while the youth, family, gender equality, and empowerment functions of MOGEF transferred to the said division. The government’s reasoning is that it is necessary to eliminate the confusion caused by fragmentation of youth and family affairs handled by the MOGEF and population, child, and elderly affairs dealt by MOHW, as well as to move away from the women-centric policy of focusing on women’s rights toward the paradigm of gender equality “where men and women of all generations can be equal.” 4. However, the reorganization plan reduces the purview of MOGEF to youth and family affairs only, without recognizing its supervising status in charge of implementing overall gender equality policies. Over the past 20 years, MOGEF has functioned as the responsible ministry in coordinating government policies reflecting the gender perspective as a way to achieve substantive gender equality and led the continuous improvement of the National Gender Equality Index (developed in 2009). The reorganization plan does not specify which ministry will take over MOGEF’s mission of coordinating gender equality policies. 5. The NHRCK previously expressed its opinion that abolition of MOGEF is highly likely to lead to an overall setback in gender equality policies. It is desirable that a dedicated ministry such as MOGEF takes the lead in promoting gender equality policies in close connection and coordination with other ministries responsible for labor, welfare, and education (October 14, 2022). 2