Calls for gender equality and family minister nominee Yong Hye-in to resign her proportional representation Assembly seat have come from both the opposition and ruling camps, prompting former Daegu Mayor Hong Jun-pyo to criticize the National Assembly, saying "the public is stressed out by an Assembly where people who aren't even fit to be ward councilors are running around calling themselves lawmakers."
Hong made the remarks Thursday on his Facebook page. "The controversy is not about holding a dual role as minister and lawmaker," he said. "The problem is that the dysfunctional proportional representation system has allowed underqualified people to flood into the Assembly and turn it into a circus."
"What makes it even more infuriating is pushing to make someone like that a minister — how much do they look down on the public?" Hong added. "Stop it. Keep this up and the approval rating will drop into the 20s. The longer this drags on, the worse public sentiment will get."
Meanwhile, Yong responded to the calls for her to give up her Assembly seat on the same day, saying she would address the matter "in detail at the confirmation hearing."
She made the remarks to reporters on her way into the confirmation hearing preparation office set up at the Korea Youth Activity Promotion Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul.
Yong declined to answer questions about whether she was creating a burden for the Lee Jae Myung administration, or whether her refusal to relinquish her Assembly seat was tied to party public subsidies.
When told Thursday that critics say her decision to hold onto her Assembly seat amounted to preferential treatment, Yong said, "There are various opinions on this matter, and I am listening carefully to the many concerns and worries being raised."
Kim Min-seok: 'Deeply reflecting on concerns and criticism'
Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Min-seok said on the party's online program "Minti07" that he was "listening to the many concerns and criticisms and thinking deeply about them," adding that he was "hearing various views and watching the situation."
Kim also said that while confirmation hearings typically surface previously hidden misconduct, "what is at issue this time is a judgment call about facts that were already known before any hearing was held," adding, "This seems different from the usual case."
yul@heraldcorp.com
