Jang Hye-young, a former Justice Party lawmaker, on the 31st sharply criticized Yong Hye-in of the Basic Income Party, who was nominated as Minister of Gender Equality and Family, calling her "a lawmaker who twice won a badge through a satellite party that deceived the public and destroyed democracy and has never once apologized to the people." The nomination of Yong has drawn open opposition even within the ruling bloc.
That morning, Jang wrote on her Facebook page, "We must properly address the problem of casually nominating as Minister a lawmaker who twice pinned on a badge through a satellite party that destroyed democracy and deceived the people and has never once apologized to the people." Jang raised the issue of the satellite parties under which Yong won proportional seats in the 21st and 22nd general elections.
She added, "Satellite parties are a clear insult to democracy," and said, "Setting aside the Constitutional Court, which is still dragging its feet on ruling whether satellite parties are unconstitutional, even President Lee Jae-myung has apologized multiple times for the satellite party issue and promised to prevent it."
Yong, who had been active with the Basic Income Party, was elected No. 5 on the proportional list of the Together Citizens Party led by the Democratic Party of Korea in the 21st general election and then returned to the Basic Income Party. In the 22nd general election, after being expelled from the Basic Income Party to run again on a proportional list, she was elected No. 6 on the Democratic Union proportional list, became a two-term lawmaker, and then returned once more to the Basic Income Party.
Jang also said, "As a woman and as a feminist, I do not intend to belittle the significance of Yong Hye-in's legislative work," but added, "What must be examined is her morality as a politician." She took issue with Yong's political stance changing depending on the issue.
Jang said, "While calling for the introduction of an anti-discrimination law, she showed the contradiction of welcoming with open arms the hasty abolition of prosecutors' supplementary investigative authority," adding, "How can we trust a politician whose position on issues involving the rights of the socially vulnerable changes according to her immediate political gains?"