Yong Hye-in's Political Funds Used for Husband's Salary? Police Launch Investigation

Yong Hye-in, nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, has faced a complaint alleging preferential treatment regarding her spouse's salary, which has been assigned to the Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul, prompting police to launch an investigation.

The Seoul Yeongdeungpo Police Station announced that it plans to summon Lee Jong-bae, former Seoul Metropolitan Council member of the People Power Party, at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow (the 10th) to conduct an investigation as the complainant regarding allegations surrounding the Basic Income Party's party dues linked to nominee Yong.

Former Councilman Lee filed a complaint against nominee Yong with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on the 3rd of this month for alleged violations of the Political Funds Act, and the case was assigned to the Yeongdeungpo Police Station.

Former Councilman Lee claimed that there are circumstances suggesting nominee Yong appointed her spouse, Park Ki-hong, as a paid party official of the Basic Income Party, had him pay about 300 million won of political funds as special party dues, and had part of that amount disbursed as her spouse's salary.

He stated, "If the format of special party dues was used for the purpose of providing economic benefits to a spouse, there is a possibility of a violation of the Political Funds Act."

Separately, the civic group Citizens' Livelihood Countermeasures Committee filed a complaint against nominee Yong on the 2nd of this month on charges of abuse of power and violation of the Public Official Election Act, and this case was also assigned to the Yeongdeungpo Police Station.

The claim is that nominee Yong's use of the Gimpo Airport VIP lounge with her family in March 2023 violated the Korea Airports Corporation's operational regulations, which permit VIP lounge use only during the performance of official duties.

The police plan to conduct an investigation of the complainant, the Citizens' Livelihood Countermeasures Committee, on the 11th of this month.

Attention is focused on what conclusions the police investigation will reach regarding the complaints filed against nominee Yong.

(Reported by Park Se-won | Video by Lee Eui-sun | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.