KB News Desk
Gender Equality and Family Minister nominee Rep. Yong Hye-in said Thursday she would retain her parliamentary seat if appointed minister, despite mounting calls for her to resign the post.
Yong, the sole lawmaker of the minor Basic Income Party, is serving her second term in the National Assembly as a proportional representation lawmaker. She has faced criticism since President Lee Jae Myung nominated her on Aug. 30 over her plan to concurrently serve as a lawmaker and Cabinet minister.
By law, National Assembly members are allowed to serve in the Cabinet, in practice, however, proportional representatives appointed as ministers have generally given up their seats. As Yong is the Basic Income Party’s sole lawmaker, her resignation would turn it into a nonparliamentary party and could cut off state subsidies it currently receives, fueling accusations she is keeping her seat to protect the party.
At a press conference at the National Assembly, Yong rejected the criticism.
“The concurrent holding of posts as a National Assembly member and a Cabinet member is a principle permitted by law,” Yong said. “I find it difficult to agree that a different principle should apply only to proportional representation lawmakers.”
Yong also denied that state subsidies were behind her decision, saying the Basic Income Party has received about 9 million won ($6,730) in subsidies per quarter over the past six years.
“If we are going to reform politics, let’s reform state subsidies as well,” Yong said, calling on both the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and main opposition People Power Party to take part.
Yong also dismissed suggestions she could give up her seat, serve as minister and later join a larger party.
“I’ve heard many people suggest that I serve as minister instead of remaining a lawmaker and then join a large party,” she said.
“But I believe realizing the goal of dignity for all is more important than my personal advancement.”
Yong also pushed back against allegations involving her husband, Park Ki-hong, who worked for the Basic Income Party from June 2020 until August this year.
She said reports on Park’s pay were misleading, saying he received about 160 million won over more than six years, or an average monthly salary of about 2.5 million won, excluding roughly a year of parental leave.
She also denied that Park improperly received parental leave benefits, saying he met the required conditions under existing rules.
Yong further rejected criticism that she lacks expertise in gender and family policy.
She cited bills she had proposed on intimate partner violence and nonmarital partnerships, as well as her work on childcare and youth protection, to counter questions over her qualifications.
Yong said such criticism failed to reflect the ministry’s broad responsibilities, which span gender equality, youth, family and women’s employment.
Yong, 36, entered politics after taking part in activism following the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster and later helped establish the Basic Income Party in 2020.
The minor progressive party has promoted universal basic income as its signature policy, while also advocating policies on gender equality, labor and social welfare.
