[Anchor]

Suspicions are growing that Yong Hye-in, nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, has funneled contracts to her acquaintances. It has been revealed that following election bulletin production, debate events and labor management tasks were also entrusted to people close to her.

Reporter Jo Yoon-ha has the report.

[Reporter]

Nominee Yong Hye-in refrained from answering a barrage of questions today (September 7).

[Yong Hye-in / Nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family: I will speak at the hearing.]

This is the activity result report for last year from the Basic Income Research Forum in the National Assembly, to which Yong belongs.

A total of four debates were held last year, three of which were co-hosted by Representative Yong Hye-in's office.

In the debates held in May and September of last year, the head, deputy head, and senior researcher of the political economy research institute Daean served as presenters and moderators.

Daean is an affiliate of a foundation established by an individual surnamed Kim, who had previously engaged in activities with Nominee Yong in a so-called underground organization.

The money paid out for honorariums and research service fees for these debates totaled around 5.3 million won over the past year.

Labor consulting service fees for the party once represented by Nominee Yong were also directed toward her acquaintances.

Since February 2020, a single labor law firm has continuously handled the Basic Income Party's labor affairs. The head of this firm previously worked with Nominee Yong in the underground organization and recently served as a supreme council member of the Basic Income Party.

The total amount paid out in this manner over seven years is 9.6 million won.

It has previously been revealed that her spouse served as a party official, research service contracts were given to another party official, and the production of the party's election bulletins was also handed over 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 a one-person party centered around Nominee Yong, the phenomenon of concentrating contracts—spanning personnel appointments, research, public relations, and labor affairs—is pronounced.

Park Ki-hong, Nominee Yong's spouse and the Basic Income Party's deputy secretary-general for strategic planning, was elected as a supreme council member today.

Next year's budget for the Ministry of Gender Equality stands at approximately 2.1 trillion won.

The minister is a position that wields influence over personnel appointments in six affiliated organizations and plays a decisive role in commissioning research services for the ministry.

(Video reporting: Ha Ryong, Kim Yong-woo | Video editing: Choi Hye-young)