[Anchor]

Today's 8 o'clock news begins with the verification of ministerial and Supreme Court justice nominees ahead of their confirmation hearings. First, lawmaker Yong Hye-in, nominated as the Minister of Gender Equality and Family, has avoided giving a direct answer regarding whether she will resign from her proportional representation assembly seat. When asked if she has any intention to choose between being a member of the National Assembly and a minister, she stated, "I will thoroughly prepare for the hearing." Voices within the ruling party are also growing louder, calling for her to give up her parliamentary seat.

For our first story, reporter Jo Yoon-ha has the details.

[Reporter]

Three days after being nominated as a ministerial candidate, nominee Yong Hye-in arrived at her confirmation hearing preparation office for her first commute.

She expressed her aspirations as a nominee for the Minister of Gender Equality and Family.

[Yong Hye-in / Nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family: True to my initial promise to remain steadfast and sincere, I will strive to make the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family of the sovereign public government the ministry closest to the people.]

Regarding criticisms from women's groups for her support of abolishing the prosecution's supplementary investigation rights, she said, "I will listen attentively to voices from the field to ensure that the rights and interests of victims are not infringed upon," while also explaining her stance on pending issues such as the constituent elements of the crime of rape and the swift introduction of abortion pills.

However, she avoided giving a direct answer on the most controversial issue—whether she will step down from her proportional representation assembly seat.

[Yong Hye-in / Nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family: Since the confirmation hearing process is a way to communicate with our citizens, I will carefully prepare for the hearing while organizing and effectively conveying my thoughts.]

Previously, nominee Yong hinted through social media that she would maintain her proportional representation seat even if she becomes a minister, stating, "I ask for your understanding regarding the difficulties faced by minor parties."

Since 2000, it has been customary for proportional representation lawmakers to resign from their assembly seats when nominated as ministerial candidates.

This is because if a district lawmaker resigns, the representative chosen by local voters disappears and a costly by-election must be held, whereas for proportional representation, the seat is immediately succeeded by the next person on the list, eliminating the need for a by-election and any legislative vacancy.

Criticism erupted even within the Democratic Party that Yong, who became a lawmaker twice solely through satellite party proportional representation, should not attempt to hold the ministerial post concurrently.

[Song Young-gil / Democratic Party Lawmaker (SBS Radio's Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show): There are questions about what kind of appeal she would have to the 2030 generation if she is appointed as the Minister of Gender Equality and Family. It is as if she suddenly achieved a meteoric rise and received double and triple preferential treatment.]

Meanwhile, the People Power Party continued its offensive, calling it "greedy politics that exposes her avarice."

[Park Choong-kwon / Senior Spokesperson for the People Power Party: Citing the difficulties of minor parties, she is shamelessly granting herself preferential exemptions.]

In addition, a civic group filed a complaint with the police against nominee Yong on charges of abuse of power, regarding her use of the VIP lounge at Gimpo Airport with her family in 2023 before departing for a trip to Jeju Island.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
Reported by Lee Seung-hwan | Video by Jeon Min-gyu