[Anchor]

As Yong Hye-in, nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, refuses to give up her proportional representation lawmaker seat, the scope of verification is expanding to include the roots of the Basic Income Party and suspicions of operational irregularities. The Democratic Party has also subtly pressured Nominee Yong to make a decision.

Reporter Park Jae-yeon has the details.

[Reporter]

The People Power Party launched a sharp offensive, claiming that "money" is behind Nominee Yong Hye-in's intention to hold both the cabinet post and her proportional representation lawmaker seat simultaneously.

[Jang Dong-hyeok / Leader, People Power Party: The reason Nominee Yong refuses to resign from her proportional representation lawmaker seat is obvious. It is because the salaries for not only her spouse but also the organization would be cut off.]

The People Power Party intensified its offensive by pointing out that during Nominee Yong's remaining 21-month term as a lawmaker, a total of approximately 4.3 billion won in taxpayer funds will be provided, including 1.1 billion won for aides' labor costs, around 1.9 billion won in regular party subsidies, and about 1 billion won in general election subsidies two years from now.

They also criticized that it is a "family party" where major party positions are shared, noting that Nominee Yong's spouse, who serves as the strategic planning deputy secretary-general of the Basic Income Party, receives around 3 million won per month in party staff salary.

Suspicions were also raised that before founding the Basic Income Party, the couple was involved in the Labor Party and social organizations, operating within what is called an "underground organization"—a term referring to secret activist groups.

In response, the Progressive Party commented that hateful offensives, including outdated red-baiting directed at the Basic Income Party, have crossed the line, demanding an immediate halt to hate masked as verification.

Democratic Party Leader Kim Min-seok commented as follows regarding Nominee Yong's persistence in maintaining her "concurrent position as a proportional representation lawmaker":

[Kim Min-seok / Leader, Democratic Party: While respecting the various voices and judgments of the public as they are, there is a need to reconsider and think about it.]

While he did not directly demand her "resignation from the lawmaker seat," he stated that it is an issue that can be decided even "before the confirmation hearing," effectively pressuring her to make a choice.

The Rebuilding Korea Party pointed out that the essence of the problem lies in the distorted structure itself, where the two major parties created satellite parties to secure proportional representation seats.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
(Video Reported by: Oh Young-chun, Lee Seung-hwan, Shin Dong-hwan, Kim Yong-woo | Video Edited by: Jeon Min-gyu | Footage Provided by: Democratic Party TV)