[Anchor]
Suspicions are growing that Yong Hye-in, nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, funneled work opportunities to people around her. It has been revealed that while operating the Basic Income Party—which is virtually a one-person party—she entrusted not only party positions but also external tasks such as labor management to individuals close to her.
Reporter Jo Yoon-ha has the details.
[Reporter]
Yong Hye-in, nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, refrained from answering a barrage of questions.
[Yong Hye-in / Nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family: I will speak about it at the hearing.]
This is the activity result report for last year from the National Assembly's Basic Income Research Forum, to which nominee Yong belongs.
A total of four forums were held last year, and three of them were co-hosted by Representative Yong Hye-in's office.
At the forums held in May and September of last year, the director, deputy director, and senior research fellow of the political economy research institute "Daean" served as presenters and moderators.
"Daean" is an affiliated organization of a foundation established by an individual surnamed Kim, who had previously engaged in activities alongside nominee Yong in a so-called underground organization.
The money paid out as honorariums and research service fees for these forums amounted to about 5.3 million won over the past year.
Labor consulting service fees for the party, where nominee Yong previously served as representative, also went to an acquaintance of nominee Yong.
Since February 2020, a single labor law firm has consistently handled the Basic Income Party's labor management affairs. The head of this labor law firm previously worked with nominee Yong in the underground organization and served as a Supreme Council member of the Basic Income Party until recently.
The amount paid out in this manner over seven years totals 9.6 million won.
It has already been revealed that her spouse served as a party official, research service projects were given to other party officials, and the production of the party's election promotional materials was also entrusted to an acquaintance of nominee Yong.
While working with political colleagues does not violate any legal issues, critics point out that because it is effectively nominee Yong's one-person party, the phenomenon of concentrating work assignments—spanning personnel appointments, research, public relations, and labor management—is notably prominent.
Nominee Yong's spouse, Park Ki-hong, who serves as the Basic Income Party's Deputy Secretary-General for Strategic Planning, was elected as a Supreme Council member.
The Ministry of Gender Equality's budget for next year stands at approximately 2.1 trillion won.
The minister is a position that exerts influence over personnel appointments at six affiliated organizations and plays a decisive role in commissioning research services for the ministry.
(Photo courtesy of Yonhap News - Wait, let me follow original text structure)
(Video by Ha Ryong, Kim Yong-woo | Video Editing by Choi Hye-young)
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