Yong Hye-in withdraws as gender equality minister nominee, extending ministry's troubled nomination streak

Third nominee in 3 years to fall through

Ministry went 19 months without a minister

'Lawmaker-proof' assumption shattered; successor search expected to be difficult

Yong Hye-in, nominee for minister of gender equality and family, announces her withdrawal at a press conference at the National Assembly on Sunday. [Yonhap]

Yong Hye-in's withdrawal Sunday as nominee for minister of gender equality and family — just 14 days after her nomination — has renewed a pattern of failed ministerial appointments that has plagued the ministry and its predecessor, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.

Three nominees for the minister post have now fallen through in the past three years: Kim Haeng, Kang Sun-woo and now Yong.

Particularly notable is that both Kang and Yong were sitting National Assembly members when nominated, undermining what had been described in political circles as the "lawmaker-proof" assumption — the idea that active legislators were too politically entrenched to be brought down by confirmation scrutiny. Yong, who had vowed to push through the process, reversed course within just three days as pressure mounted within the ruling party for her to step aside. The back-to-back failures are expected to make finding a successor considerably more difficult.

Yong held a press conference at the National Assembly on Sunday and announced her withdrawal. "I have concluded that stopping here is necessary to carry forward the spirit of solidarity within the Democratic Party of Korea, the Basic Income Party and the broader democratic-progressive camp," she said. "I am stepping down as minister nominee effective today."

She added that her position had not changed. "I accepted the nomination in the spirit of achieving gender equality for all and solidarity, and I remain committed to resolving the remaining allegations through the confirmation hearing," she said.

However, she explained that the Democratic Party had conveyed to her the need to make a decision, citing a lack of broad public support for holding both a proportional representation Assembly seat and a cabinet post simultaneously. "I concluded that it would be practically difficult to serve as a cabinet member given that even the ruling party was expressing concern," she said.

Since her nomination on Aug. 30, Yong had been embroiled in controversy over the dual-role issue, allegations related to her spouse and questions surrounding the management of the Basic Income Party.

As recently as Thursday, she had held a press conference to push back against the allegations, arguing that the law permits a lawmaker to simultaneously serve as a cabinet minister, and declared her intent to see the process through. But calls within the ruling party for her to step down grew louder, and she ultimately withdrew.

This is not the first time the ministry has struggled to fill its top post.

Kim Haeng, former emergency committee member of the People Power Party [Yonhap]

In 2023, then-Gender Equality and Family Minister Kim Hyun-sook announced her resignation in September of that year, taking responsibility for the mismanagement of the World Scout Jamboree at Saemangeum. Former President Yoon Suk Yeol nominated Kim Haeng, a former People Power Party emergency committee member, as her replacement, but Kim Haeng withdrew during the confirmation process after becoming embroiled in allegations of so-called "share parking." With the replacement nominee gone, Kim Hyun-sook continued in her role despite having already tendered her resignation — an unusual situation.

Her resignation was not accepted until February of the following year, and the Yoon administration ran the ministry without naming a new minister, operating instead under Vice Minister Shin Young-sook as acting minister.

After the change of government, President Lee Jae Myung nominated Democratic Party lawmaker Kang Sun-woo as minister nominee last June, raising hopes that the prolonged leadership vacuum would finally end. However, Kang became mired in controversy during the confirmation process over allegations of gapjil — abusive behavior toward staff — and accusations of making false denials.

Kang went through the confirmation hearing but ultimately stepped down last July, saying, "I offer my sincere apologies to the people who have been hurt by me."

The government then nominated Won Min-kyung, at the time a non-standing member of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, as the new candidate. Won took office as minister last September, ending a leadership vacuum that had lasted roughly 19 months from February 2024.

The ministry was subsequently expanded and reorganized as the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on Oct. 1 last year, making Won its inaugural minister under the new name.

With Yong, Won's designated successor, now also dropping out midway, the government finds itself once again searching for a new ministerial candidate.

cheon@heraldcorp.com