Kim Haeng, a nominee for the gender equality and family minister, arrives at her temporary office in Seoul, Thursday, to prepare for her parliamentary confirmation hearing. Yonhap
Kim Haeng, a nominee for the gender equality and family minister, faces mounting criticism for her remarks that could be construed as denying women’s freedom to terminate pregnancy.
In 2012, during an appearance on a YouTube channel of Wikitree, she cited cases in the Philippines where abortion is illegal, saying that society’s tolerance is necessary to accept women who give birth after being raped. Wikitree is an interactive online news provider founded by Kim.
“I believe that women can raise children anywise if the society shows tolerance for women who give birth even after they are raped or even after their partner runs away,” Kim said at the time.
The remarks, which were reported through vernacular media Wednesday, provoked criticism that Kim overlooked the need to punish perpetrators and only stressed tolerance for victims.
Critics also said the nominee who, if officially appointed, will be in charge of tackling various issues to achieve gender equality, appeared to deny women's personal autonomy.
Kim countered the criticism, calling the media report “fake news” that distorted the original intention of her remarks.
“People should look at the whole context of my remarks,” Kim said Thursday, claiming that her remarks never meant to deny women’s rights to end pregnancy.
“The remarks were intended to raise the need to respect all life if women decide to give birth and raise a child even in a difficult situation,” she said in a statement. “I wanted to stress the need for the government to protect women, who have the willingness to have and raise a baby, so they do not give it up.”
The statement also said Kim respects the 2019 decision made by the Constitutional Court to decriminalize abortion in Korea.
But the explanation failed to appease her critics, including Rep. Park Kwang-on, the Democratic Party of Korea’s floor leader, who claimed that Kim denied women’s fundamental rights.
“Kim’s remarks showed her attitude against humanity and the Constitution,” Park said.
Kim's critics included Rep. Ha Tae-keung, a member of the ruling People Power Party.
Ha said, “I think Kim needs to make an apology for the remarks when she appears before the National Assembly’s confirmation hearings.”
Comments made by Kim after being nominated for the position of the gender equality and family minister have also become the subject of controversy.
She told a group of reporters on Sept. 15, “Abortion that is conducted for unavoidable reasons ? for example when pregnant women have financial problems or are minors ? is not applicable to women’s rights to self-determination. Such cases fall under the government’s responsibility.”
Minor opposition Justice Party spokesman Lee Jae-rang said Kim’s remarks were against the decision by the Constitutional Court, as the court said in 2019 that whether to end a pregnancy is a woman’s personal decision.
Kim has also been in the hot seat over suspicions that she engaged in stock parking in connection with a company that operates Wikitree, which she founded.
Stock parking refers to the illegal practice of selling shares to another party under the premise that the original owner will buy them back after a short period, intended to conceal a stock’s real ownership to appear to comply with regulations.
She denied this allegation too, saying that she will disclose everything during the confirmation hearings, including the financial structure of the company.
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