Police are expected to step up an investigation into Yong Hye-in, the nominee for minister of gender equality and family, after assigning to the Yeongdeungpo Police Precinct in Seoul cases involving allegations that her husband received a monthly salary of 3 million won while working as a staff official at the Basic Income Party, and that she used an airport VIP lounge during a past trip to Jeju Island.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency assigned two of five criminal complaints filed against the nominee to the Yeongdeungpo Police Precinct a day earlier, according to police on the 8th. The remaining three complaints are expected to be assigned to the same precinct.
Lee Jong-bae, a former People Power Party member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, filed a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on the 3rd of this month accusing the nominee of violating the Political Funds Act. According to the complaint, Yong personally appointed her spouse, surnamed Park, as secretary general of the Basic Income Party and paid him a monthly salary of 3 million won. The complaint alleges that she paid about 300 million won of her own political funds to the party as special membership dues, and that the money ultimately went toward Park's salary.
A civic group also filed a complaint on the 2nd of this month accusing the nominee of abuse of authority and other offenses. The group took issue with her use of a VIP lounge at Gimpo Airport when she visited with family members in 2023 for a trip to Jeju Island. Under Korea Airports Corporation rules on VIP lounge operations, the lounges may be used only while performing official duties. Parents are not eligible even when official duties are involved.
Yong has also been accused of violating the Public Official Election Act and of obstruction of the exercise of rights through abuse of authority. The allegations include posting a video filmed in front of the campaign office of Basic Income Party candidate Park Eun-young in Gwangsan District, Gwangju, while wearing clothing bearing the party's name ahead of the June 3 local elections this year, and having aides look after her children. She has also been accused, along with Basic Income Party officials, of violating the Political Funds Act and of occupational embezzlement and breach of trust.
The controversy over whether Yong will keep her proportional representation seat in the National Assembly is continuing. Arriving on the same day at her confirmation hearing preparation office at the Korea Youth Work Agency in Seoul's Seodaemun District, the nominee did not respond when reporters asked whether her position on holding both roles had changed. She has also declined to offer detailed explanations of other allegations, including claims that gender discrimination within an informal party organization was tolerated.
