Councillor protests Yong Hye-in's role in North Gyeongsang parliamentary audit
In short
Heo Ji-hun (허지훈), a People Power Party member of the North Gyeongsang provincial council, held a one-person protest on 20 October against Basic Income Party lawmaker Yong Hye-in (용혜인) taking part in the parliamentary audit of the province. Heo cited a Political Funds Act complaint against Yong and called for immediate resignation from the audit committee.
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Heo Ji-hun (허지훈), a People Power Party member of the North Gyeongsang provincial council, held a one-person protest on 20 October in front of the provincial government building. The protest was against Basic Income Party lawmaker Yong Hye-in (용혜인) taking part in the parliamentary audit of the province. Seoul Shinmun and Hankook Ilbo said Heo also held a press conference. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Yong was due to attend that day, as an audit committee member, the audit of North Gyeongsang held by the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee at the provincial government building. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
Heo said Yong has been reported over a Political Funds Act violation. According to Heo, a person who should be investigated as a suspect auditing the audited bodies damages the rigor of the parliamentary audit. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Heo also said Yong has no minimum understanding of the region and is not qualified to audit North Gyeongsang. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
According to Hankook Ilbo, Heo said Yong had been criticised as the "Family Income Party" over an allegation of paying a husband a salary from political funds, and has been reported over a Political Funds Act violation. Heo also said the Basic Income Party is under police investigation for alleged Political Parties Act violations, including setting up a "ghost" provincial chapter, and has no North Gyeongsang chapter to carry the voices of the province's 2.6 million residents. Seoul Shinmun also quoted Heo as saying the party has no North Gyeongsang chapter. [ 3 , 4 ]
Heo called on Yong to resign immediately from the North Gyeongsang audit committee and to cooperate in the investigation. The documents do not include a response from Yong. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The documents give no sign that the protest changed the audit; Yong was reported as attending as a committee member. The episode shows a dispute between a People Power Party provincial councillor and a lawmaker from another party over who may take part in an audit.
Key facts
- Heo Ji-hun, a People Power Party (국민의힘) member of the North Gyeongsang provincial council, held a one-person protest on 20 October in front of the provincial government building. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The protest was against Basic Income Party (기본소득당) lawmaker Yong Hye-in taking part in the parliamentary audit of North Gyeongsang. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Yong was due to attend, as an audit committee member, the audit of North Gyeongsang held at the provincial government building by the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Heo said Yong has been reported over a Political Funds Act violation and that a person who should be investigated as a suspect auditing the audited bodies damages the rigor of the audit. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Heo called on Yong to resign immediately from the North Gyeongsang audit committee. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Heo also said the Basic Income Party has no North Gyeongsang provincial chapter. [ 3 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- On 20 October Heo Ji-hun held a one-person protest at the North Gyeongsang provincial government building demanding that Yong Hye-in step down from the audit committee. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Yong Hye-in is a member of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee audit of North Gyeongsang held at the provincial government building on 20 October. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the Political Funds Act complaint against Yong has led to any finding. The documents give only Heo's statement that a complaint was filed; no authority or outlet reports its status.
- The allegation that Yong paid a husband a salary from political funds. Only Hankook Ilbo reports it, as part of Heo's statement, and describes it as an allegation.
- The claim that the Basic Income Party is under police investigation for Political Parties Act violations. Only Hankook Ilbo reports it, as Heo's statement; no other document confirms it.
- Yong's response to the protest. None of the documents includes a reaction from Yong or the Basic Income Party.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Yonhap reports Heo's one-person protest against Yong's participation in the North Gyeongsang audit. [ 2 ]
- Seoul Shinmun reports the one-person protest and press conference at the provincial government building. [ 3 ]
- Hankook Ilbo and Kukmin Ilbo report Heo's call for Yong to resign from the audit committee. [ 4 , 5 ]