Broadcaster Kim Eo-jun. (Yonhap)
Broadcaster Kim Eo-jun. (Yonhap)

Broadcaster Kim Eo-jun has publicly defended Yong Hye-in, President Lee Jae Myung's nominee for gender equality and family minister.

Speaking on his YouTube show Friday about Yong's news conference held Thursday, Kim said he could not find a single point in her explanations and rebuttals that "did not make sense."

"Appointments are the president's prerogative, but since we have only heard one side of the story so far, if there is a confirmation hearing, officials should listen closely to what the nominee has to say too," Kim said in defense of the nominee.

When Yong was first nominated, Kim had argued that she did not need to resign her Assembly seat, since she is the Basic Income Party's only lawmaker.

At her news conference Thursday, Yong said she intends to keep her National Assembly seat even if she is confirmed as minister.

"I find it hard to agree with applying a different standard only to proportional representatives," she said, likening the customary practice of proportional lawmakers resigning their seats upon taking Cabinet posts to "carving up the spoils."

On the payments her spouse, Park Ki-hong, received while working as a staffer for the Basic Income Party, she rebuffed the criticism, saying, "There was no procedural flaw."

Yong also acknowledged that she was once part of a so-called "underground faction," an undisclosed political group.

However, she said she disbanded the group in 2017 after concluding it had lost the ability to police itself against a sexist, hierarchical culture.

She drew a line against allegations that she had condoned or turned a blind eye to problems within the group, saying, "I find that hard to accept."

Cheong Wa Dae said it is watching concerns within the ruling party over the nomination.

Hong Ik-pyo, Cheong Wa Dae's senior secretary for political affairs, said on a radio program Thursday that he had not known in advance that Yong would hold her news conference, adding, "Concerns from the ruling party are being relayed heavily through political channels, so we are watching the situation closely."

Yeo Sun-woong, a former Democratic Party deputy spokesperson, criticized Yong, saying, "She has argued for abolishing state subsidies, and she made a similar argument again at her news conference. But that is like saying, while calling for an end to the culture of cash gifts, 'Everyone else takes them, so I will take mine too — but cash gifts are still wrong.' Is there any sincerity in that argument? Stop stressing people out with sophistry and resign on your own."


min3654@heraldcorp.com