Yong Hye-in, the nominee for minister of gender equality and family, withdrew from consideration on the 13th, two weeks after being named to the post.
At a news conference at the National Assembly press center, Yong said, "As of today, I intend to lay down the nomination for minister of gender equality and family, along with the resolve I had to build a gender-equal society for everyone under the Lee Jae-myung administration."
Yong said the position of the Democratic Party of Korea influenced the decision. "The Democratic Party said it respects the situation facing me and the Basic Income Party," she said, "but I was told the party wanted me to make a decision, given that public consensus is not broad on holding both a proportional-representation seat in the National Assembly and a ministerial post."
"A cabinet member must organically connect the National Assembly and the government and draw out cooperation between them," she said. "But I concluded that carrying out the post is realistically difficult when even the ruling party is voicing concern." She added, "I judged that stopping here is also necessary to carry forward the spirit of solidarity between the Democratic Party, the Basic Income Party and the broader democratic and progressive camp."
Addressing President Lee Jae-myung, Yong said, "I am grateful for the trust you placed in me in entrusting me with such an important task, and I am sorry that I could not fulfill that duty."
She said she would now focus on her work as a lawmaker for the Basic Income Party. "I will return to my original resolve, reflect on myself and devote myself to parliamentary work with a humble and mature attitude," Yong said. "I will walk without wavering the path of building a basic-income Republic of Korea together with the Lee Jae-myung administration."
