“Yong Hye-in Could Lose Her Parliamentary Seat”... Over Ghost Party Office Controversy, Party Says It Shows “Determination to Hang Even One More Banner Instead of Paying Rent”

[Financial News] The Basic Income Party, to which Yong Hye-in, nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, belongs, explained allegations that some of its provincial and metropolitan branch offices were registered at farms or homes, saying it reflected “the determination to hang even one more banner instead of paying office rent.”
According to Yonhap News and other outlets on September 9, Basic Income Party spokespersons No Seo-young and Shin Ji-hye, along with deputy spokesperson Kim Jin-seo, held a press conference that day at the National Assembly Communication Center. They said, “The Basic Income Party allocated membership dues to its provincial and metropolitan branches in accordance with its party constitution and regulations, and each branch has carried out routine political activities with limited resources.”
According to the offices of People Power Party lawmakers Jung-Jae Kim and Joo Jin-woo, the Basic Income Party’s South Gyeongsang, Busan, and Incheon branches were registered at apartments, while the Gwangju–South Jeolla branch was registered at a house. The South Chungcheong and Jeonbuk State branches were found to have registered addresses at farms owned by their respective branch chairs. In other words, six of the Basic Income Party’s 10 provincial and metropolitan branch offices had homes, farms, or similar properties registered as their addresses.
Joo said, “The state subsidies paid to the Basic Income Party’s provincial and metropolitan branches alone amounted to 150 million won this year.” He added, “If the party inflated its membership numbers or falsely registered office locations from the outset, it would be subject to punishment under the Political Parties Act. Taxes paid to inactive organizations could also constitute a violation of the Political Funds Act.”
In response, spokespersons No Seo-young and Shin Ji-hye and Deputy Spokesperson Kim Jin-seo criticized the allegations, saying, “Not a single provincial or metropolitan branch was found to lack the registration requirements during the party’s founding process.” They added, “Belittling the Basic Income Party by claiming that it created fake branches to receive subsidies disparages the party’s history of working to strengthen its organizational capacity.”
They continued, “Following our determination to hang even one more banner instead of paying office rent, we registered party members’ homes as offices and used them for tasks such as contacting members.” They emphasized, “Do not distort this by calling them ‘ghost offices.’ We urge the People Power Party to stop inciting the public by portraying the Basic Income Party as a ghost party hastily assembled to receive state subsidies, based on false claims.”
Regarding Song Young-gil’s criticism that the party was “living by clinging to others and relying on state coffers,” they sharply retorted, “It is irresponsible for a governing party to distort the facts and criticize a party that, while working with the Democratic Party of Korea, had joined forces and formed alliances to pursue livelihood reforms and the ouster of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, especially when Song served as chairman of the Democratic Party.” They added, “Instead of joining the People Power Party’s irrational, one-dimensional attacks, please lend greater support to the political reforms proposed by the Basic Income Party.”
They also addressed the controversy over Yong Hye-in’s concurrent officeholding as a lawmaker and ministerial nominee. “There have been precedents in which proportional-representation lawmakers concurrently served as ministers,” they said. “The Basic Income Party is taking on a new challenge to realize coalition politics not only in general and presidential elections but also in the operation of government.”
Regarding the so-called “personalization of the party” controversy, they countered, “Allowing party officials to gain experience working in lawmakers’ offices, or assigning party posts to those who had worked in such offices, was a means of strengthening the Basic Income Party’s policy capabilities both inside and outside the National Assembly.”
They continued, “Portraying the approach chosen by a one-seat parliamentary party seeking to grow into a party that benefits the public as if Yong Hye-in used her influence to give jobs to close associates and place them in the party leadership is nothing more than a reckless smear campaign.”
Meanwhile, when reporters asked Yong Hye-in about the various allegations surrounding her, she avoided giving a specific answer, saying, “I will explain everything in detail at the confirmation hearing.”
[email protected] Kim Su-yeon Reporter