[Column] Yong Hye-in Should Give Up Both the Ministerial Nomination and Her Parliamentary Seat

The nomination of Yong Hye-in as candidate for minister of gender equality and family brings to mind the Chinese strategy of sacrificing something small to save something more important, writes the Dong-A Ilbo columnist.

The strategy, known as “Li Dai Tao Jiang,” is the 11th tactic in the ancient Chinese military text Thirty-Six Stratagems. When circumstances are unfavorable, it calls for sacrificing the plum tree to protect the peach tree. In Go, the equivalent would be a sacrificial-stone tactic. In broader terms, it resembles using bait.

The columnist says Yong’s “use” may be to spread out the political offensive over the vetting of Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won. Apart from that possibility, the column says, it is difficult to find a convincing reason for selecting her.

Born in 1990, Yong is 36 this year. At first glance, that could make her appear well suited to represent people in their 20s and 30s. But the columnist argues that younger voters care less about such an outward image than about fairness. In his assessment, Yong’s political career has been marked by “rule-breaking,” “parasitism” and a “sense of entitlement,” putting her at odds with the value she would need to represent.