Song Young-gil, a former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, expressed skepticism about Yong Hye-in, the nominee for minister of gender equality and family, saying, "I have doubts about whether this person really has any appeal to people in their 20s and 30s."
Song made the remarks on the 2nd on SBS Radio's "Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show," adding that "public sentiment will not easily accept it." He said, "How many people in their 20s and 30s would feel a connection to the idea that someone from their own generation has been made a minister and elevated?" He added, "If anything, insisting on staying a lawmaker while also serving as a minister looks like greed to anyone, and it feels unfair."
Song also described Yong as a "sacrificial lamb," drawing an analogy to the wildlife documentary "Animal Kingdom." He said, "When wildebeest cross a stream on the Serengeti plains, it is hard to fend off every attack from the crocodiles. Sometimes one of them is sacrificed as the herd passes through." The remark appeared to suggest that Yong's failure to win confirmation should be accepted to smooth the appointment process for the other ministerial nominees.
Turning to Jeon Yong-gi, a young politician and supreme council member in the governing party, Song said, "This person was born in 1991, so he is in that 20s-and-30s group, but he has become a two-term lawmaker through two rounds of judgment by the voters. That is why I see it as the best personnel decision." Yong entered the National Assembly as a proportional representative through a satellite party affiliated with the Democratic Party, while Jeon moved from a proportional seat to win a district race in Hwaseong-jeong, Gyeonggi Province.
On the broader cabinet reshuffle announced by the presidential office, Song said, "There were meaningful points in several respects," and added, "Rebuilding Korea Party lawmaker Lee Hae-min, who was named senior presidential secretary for AI and future planning, and Lee So-young, the nominee for minister of SMEs and startups, stand out."
Of Kim Yong-beom, the former presidential policy chief who abruptly resigned amid a controversy over responsibility for leveraged exchange-traded funds, Song said, "With real estate, stock prices and everything else in bad shape right now, it became a situation where someone had to take responsibility." He continued, "It seems he strongly felt he had to step down on his own," adding, "I think it was unavoidable." Song said he spoke with Kim by phone after the resignation was announced to offer comfort, and relayed Kim's words: "He said it was unavoidable."
