Yong Hye-in Resigns as Candidate for Minister of Gender Equality and Family

Rep. Yong Hye-in stated that two weeks had passed since she was nominated as the candidate for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, and expressed her thoughts that the President's decision to nominate a lawmaker from an opposition party in her 30s as a cabinet member must have been a resolution to foster the spirit of solidarity within the democratic-progressive camp and to create a gender-equal society for all through practical experience.

Regarding the role of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, she expressed her commitment to focusing on policies for the socially vulnerable, including women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and youth, and to create a truly gender-equal society through active responses to gender violence and strengthening the care system.

Rep. Yong Hye-in criticized the People Power Party lawmakers for demonstrating behavior that mocked and hated the difficult circumstances of a minority party, instead of verifying the candidate, over the past two weeks. She also pointed out that some media outlets continued malicious and distorted reporting without verifying facts or even ensuring the right to reply, expressing deep regret.

She emphasized that such circumstances made it difficult to perform her role as a ministerial candidate and expressed concern about personal attacks rather than legitimate verification.

Rep. Yong Hye-in explained that the lack of broad public consensus on holding both a proportional representation parliamentary seat and a ministerial position concurrently was a major factor in her decision to resign. She specifically stated that she received communication from the Democratic Party, respecting the circumstances of the candidate and the Basic Income Party, but advising her to make a decision considering the lack of public consensus due to the concurrent position issue.

Furthermore, she judged that organic cooperation with the National Assembly would be realistically difficult as a cabinet member, and believed that this situation could hinder the smooth operation of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.

Rep. Yong Hye-in officially announced that she would step down from her position as candidate for Minister of Gender Equality and Family in the Lee Jae-myung administration, along with her determination to create a gender-equal society for all. While expressing deep gratitude for the President's trust, she also expressed regret for not being able to live up to expectations.

She explained that she made this decision judging that it would help continue the spirit of solidarity within the democratic-progressive camp, and that she decided to step down from a personal position for a greater goal.

Rep. Yong Hye-in promised to steadfastly pursue the path of realizing a gender-equal society for all, as she pledged as a candidate, and creating a Basic Income Korea together with the Lee Jae-myung administration. She stated that taking this resignation as an opportunity, she would return to her initial resolve, reflect on herself, and dedicate herself to legislative activities with a humble and mature attitude.

She reaffirmed her commitment to engaging in more active legislative activities in accordance with the will of the people and doing her best to realize the values of the Basic Income Party.