Police have launched a full-scale investigation into allegations surrounding the Basic Income Party's party dues involving Minister of Gender Equality and Family nominee Yong Hye-in.

Lee Jong-bae, a former Seoul Metropolitan Council member who filed a complaint against nominee Yong for alleged violations of the Political Funds Act, appeared at the Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul at around 2 p.m. today (the 10th).

This marks the first questioning of a related party regarding the suspicions surrounding nominee Yong.

Former Councilman Lee claims that there are circumstances suspected of illegal political fund transactions in the record of special party dues paid to the Basic Income Party and the salary reception process of nominee Yong's husband, a party official surnamed Park.

The core argument is that nominee Yong appointed her spouse as a paid party official, had about 300 million won of political funds paid to the party as special party dues, and had a portion of it returned as her spouse's salary.

In addition, he requested that police investigate suspicions that state subsidies were used to pay the rent for the office of the Basic Income Policy Research Institute and to repay 30 million won that nominee Yong had lent to the Basic Income Party.

In a statement released today, former Councilman Lee pointed out, "This is a serious case involving the public's blood money," adding, "The only way nominee Yong can receive applause from the public is by resigning from both her ministerial nominee position and her lawmaker seat."

Criticizing nominee Yong's remarks at a press conference today where she claimed that "absurd suspicions are being reported as if they have substance," he stated, "When suspicions are raised, one should simply explain them. Failing to explain and instead blaming the media is cowardly," calling it "a typical trick to mislead public opinion."

Following the questioning of the complainant to verify the background of the complaint, police plan to examine the facts based on nominee Yong's political fund income and expenditure records.

Nominee Yong was also filed against on the 2nd by the Citizens' Coalition for Democratic Society (CCDS), a conservative-leaning civic group, on charges of abuse of power and violation of the Public Official Election Act.

The complaint alleges that nominee Yong used the VIP lounge at Gimpo International Airport with her family prior to a trip to Jeju Island on March 9, 2023, violating Korea Airports Corporation operational regulations that permit VIP lounge use only during official duties.

Furthermore, the CCDS claimed it was a violation of the Public Official Election Act that she filmed a video in front of the election office of Basic Income Party candidate Park Eun-young in Gwangsan-gu, Jeonnam-Gwangju Unified Special City, last May ahead of the June 3 local elections, while wearing clothing printed with the Basic Income Party name, and uploaded it to social media.

The Yeongdeungpo Police Station plans to summon an official from the CCDS as a complainant tomorrow for questioning.

(Photo: Yonhap News)