Song Young-gil: “Appointing Yong Hye-in may not appeal to people in their 20s and 30s”

Song Young-gil warned that public opinion may not easily accept Yong Hye-in’s nomination as minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, especially because she would retain her parliamentary seat.

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Public opinion will not find it easy to accept.

Speaking on SBS radio, Song questioned whether the appointment would resonate with people in their 20s and 30s. He said young people might not feel represented simply because someone from their generation had been selected for a ministerial post. Instead, they could ask whether the arrangement was fair.

Song described Yong’s plan to serve as minister while continuing as a proportional-representation lawmaker as an unusual arrangement. He said serving twice as a proportional-representation member was contrary to convention, and that combining the ministerial appointment with continued parliamentary service could look like excessive ambition and multiple layers of preferential treatment.

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I question what appeal appointing this person as minister of gender equality and family would have for people in their 20s and 30s.

Song compared the controversy to wildebeest crossing a stream in the Serengeti, saying not every animal can avoid an attack by crocodiles. Asked whether the president should withdraw Yong’s nomination, he replied that the confirmation hearing should be watched first. Song also maintained that a special counsel investigating allegedly fabricated prosecutions should not receive authority to withdraw indictments, saying such authority could become relevant if the investigation established that a prosecution had been manipulated.

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It would look like greed to anyone, and it would feel unfair.