[Anchor]
Yong Hye-in, nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, held a press conference to counter various allegations surrounding her. Stating that holding both a lawmaker seat and a ministerial post is permitted by law, she expressed her intent to push through to her confirmation hearing, though concerns have emerged even within the ruling party.
Reporter Kim Jin-u has the details.
[Reporter]
Nominee Yong Hye-in, who had previously avoided Q&A sessions with reporters on her way to work by stating she would explain controversies such as the dual roles of a proportional representation lawmaker and a minister during her confirmation hearing,
called an unexpected press conference at the National Assembly yesterday afternoon (Sept. 10) and spent over 30 minutes passionately explaining and refuting the claims.
The conclusion was that she would give up neither her lawmaker seat nor the ministerial position.
[Yong Hye-in / Nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family: It is a principle allowed by law for a member of the National Assembly to concurrently serve as a member of the State Council. We must look back on whether the custom of resigning from a proportional lawmaker seat was viewed among politicians as a way of dividing up positions.]
In response to criticisms questioning whether she is clinging to her lawmaker seat because of state subsidies for her party, the Basic Income Party, she fired back, calling the People Power Party a "parasitic party" that "received tens of billions of won in state subsidies while acting as gatekeepers for the ringleader of an insurrection." She also expressed discontent regarding criticisms coming from the Democratic Party.
[Yong Hye-in / Nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family: I feel regrettable that even a faction within the Democratic Party tends to get swept up in groundless speculation and malicious propaganda.]
Regarding criticisms that it is a "family party" because her spouse holds a party position, she protested by asking what is wrong with a 40-year-old worker receiving an average monthly salary of 2.5 million won. She also argued that allegations such as "awarding contracts to close associates" and "ghost local chapters" are groundless speculations.
This effectively amounts to pressing ahead with her own path despite various controversies and allegations that have erupted consecutively over the 11 days since her nomination as a ministerial candidate, drawing critical reactions from both rival parties.
The People Power Party urged President Lee to withdraw the nomination, calling it a "deception against the public and a case of the offender acting as if they were the victim."
While the Democratic Party did not release an official response, chilly reactions within the party were prevalent, such as, "She should have at least expressed regret," and "It sounds like she is telling the presidential office that she has no problems, so they must not withdraw her nomination."
In an NBS opinion poll released yesterday, 63 percent of respondents answered that nominating Yong was a "wrong personnel appointment," while 17 percent answered it was a "good personnel appointment."
Regarding nominee for Minister of Justice Kim Seung-won, 47 percent called it a "wrong personnel appointment" and 24 percent called it a "good personnel appointment."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
(Camera Reporter: Lee Seung-hwan, Shin Dong-hwan, Kim Yong-woo | Video Editor: Kim Jong-mi | Designer: Kang Yun-jung, Yang Gi-tae)
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.