Yong Hye-in's Ministerial Nomination, Salary Controversy and Qualification Debate

Previously, there were predictions that she would struggle to even pass the hearing, but the atmosphere has now reversed.

It is speculated that the role of Kim Hye-ji, Representative Yong's chief of staff, has largely contributed to this optimism. There are suspicions that Chief of Staff Kim is deeply connected to a specific activist faction, which has strengthened Representative Yong's political standing.

The Gyeonggi Dongbu-yeonhap is a faction within the activist movement, and it is rumored that they took an independent path during the past division of the Progressive Party and allied with Representative Lee Jae-myung.

Representative Yong Hye-in is also connected to the Jaeheon National Assembly faction, and it is speculated that this activist cartel is acting as a political connection between Representative Lee Jae-myung and Representative Yong.

This leads to criticism that specific activist forces are deeply involved in politics and influencing key appointments.

Representative Yong Hye-in has not resigned from her parliamentary seat despite her ministerial nomination. This has drawn criticism that she is doing so to avoid losing her seat in the National Assembly. If Representative Yong serves out her remaining term until 2028, she will receive a total of 2.9 billion won in salary.

As a young politician, her attempt to simultaneously pursue both a parliamentary seat and a ministerial nomination has drawn criticism from young people who see it as excessive political ambition.

Following her nomination as a ministerial candidate, Representative Yong Hye-in made it clear that she has no intention of resigning from her parliamentary seat before the confirmation hearing. On her way to work, she consistently avoided specific answers, stating only, "I will speak at the confirmation hearing."

Some have criticized Representative Yong for seemingly attempting to change her demeanor, such as lowering the corners of her eyes recently. This is interpreted as a strategic change in attitude, conscious of public opinion, ahead of the confirmation hearing.

According to revelations from colleagues, candidate Yong made no mention of the sexual assault incident.

Consequently, it has been argued that she lacks the qualifications to be Minister of Gender Equality and Family due to her passive stance on sexual assault issues and lack of commitment to protecting women's rights. This is cited as a factor that increases concerns about her suitability for a ministerial position responsible for protecting women's rights.

The political dilemma is growing as candidate Yong Hye-in shows strong ambition for the ministerial position while also seeking to retain her parliamentary seat. Even within the Democratic Party, there is pressure for her to step down from her parliamentary seat.

The Basic Income Party has few seats in the National Assembly, making it highly dependent on the Democratic Party. As a result, there are concerns that losing her parliamentary seat upon ministerial appointment would be a significant political blow.

A prominent example cited was the case of Representative Lee Hae-in, when allegations of illegal real estate sales emerged during her nomination as Minister of Economy, ultimately jeopardizing her right to move into One Pentas.

This shows that corruption and illegal activities, usually hidden, can be brought to light during the intensive scrutiny of the personnel verification process. In Representative Lee Hae-in's case, even her son's financial transaction details were publicly disclosed, causing significant controversy.

Furthermore, there is an apparent intention to naturally link the Yong Hye-in issue with controversies related to First Lady Kim Keon-hee. This is seen as a move to maximize political damage to Representative Lee Jae-myung and the Democratic Party.

Allegations have surfaced that Representative Kim Seung-won directly called a section chief at the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to process a civil petition, even though the matter was outside his constituency. This has drawn criticism as inappropriate interference that violated normal civil petition processing procedures.

It is also pointed out that a member of the National Assembly using private connections to directly pressure a relevant ministry is not just preferential treatment but could lead to third-party bribery.

These allegations have the potential to escalate into issues of abuse of power and undermining fairness by a member of the National Assembly.

The meaning of the remark, 'Do it in a way that benefits you,' appearing in the recording, is expected to serve as a crucial clue. The fact that Yang obtained over 600 million won in illicit gains through this incident also supports these suspicions.

It has been argued that to uncover the alleged stock manipulation related to medical companies, relevant individuals should be summoned as witnesses to the confirmation hearing. Key figures identified are Mr. Yang and Mr. Kang, who allegedly profited from stocks through the pharmaceutical company in question.

Furthermore, it was suggested that the prosecutors who were on the approval line for the case at the time should also be summoned as witnesses to reveal the full truth of the situation.

This raises controversy that she used her parliamentary position to benefit her family.

It seems difficult to avoid criticism for undermining the purpose of the social enterprise support system and providing preferential treatment to specific organizations.

This raises questions about her ability to implement universal family policies as Minister of Gender Equality and Family.

Concerns have been raised that biased support for specific organizations could lead to advocating for certain ideologies rather than representing diverse family structures and women's voices.

Citing the case of Cheon Yeong, the Democratic Party's candidate for Ansan Mayor in the last local election, it is pointed out that the Democratic Party tends to attack critics rather than apologize for crimes like drunk driving.

The act of demanding apologies from those who criticize them or blaming political opponents, rather than admitting mistakes and showing remorse, is perceived as a lack of awareness regarding criminal behavior.

It is not only about exercising prosecutorial command but also about providing immense convenience to inmates within correctional facilities.

Cases were cited where a close acquaintance or family member in custody could receive undue preferential treatment through the abuse of suspension of execution, such as for medical outpatient visits. This demonstrates the potential for the Minister of Justice's power to be misused for personal gain.

This is an issue that could escalate into a question of fairness within the legal community, related to the deferred prosecution controversy.

Concerns have been raised that an inappropriate meeting between a judge and a lobby broker could heighten suspicions about the handling of the case and lead to a decline in public trust in the judiciary.

The core value that transcends all generations is 'trust,' and it is absurd for a government that has lost trust to expect high approval ratings, according to criticism.

Voices are growing louder emphasizing the need to reaffirm the government's values based on popular sovereignty and urgently restore public trust through fundamental change.

Criticism has been raised that the current cabinet reshuffle is an attempt to escape a government crisis amidst declining approval ratings. This suggests a potential depletion of human resources and could further deepen the government's crisis, according to evaluations.

One cast member commented, "The signal for the downfall of the Lee Jae-myung government has been fired," predicting that approval ratings would fall below 35% within two weeks.

Concerns are growing that this cabinet reshuffle could instead expose the government's instability and amplify public distrust.