Seoul, South Korea
CNN
—
The South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is facing a crucial election, and a recent scandal involving his wife has become a significant problem for his popularity. Kim Keon Hee, the atypical first lady, is known for her career in art exhibitions and her outspokenness on various issues, has found herself at the center of a political storm over her alleged acceptance of a Christian Dior bag as a gift.
The controversy has stirred up further controversy around Kim, who has been involved in a series of scandals in recent years. The latest scandal involving the Dior bag has become a major crisis for Yoon and the ruling party as they prepare for the upcoming parliamentary election.
The controversy began when a video surfaced appearing to show Kim receiving the Dior bag as a gift from a Korean American pastor. The pastor alleged that he had secretly recorded the meeting with Kim and had provided the video to a left-leaning YouTube channel. This has led to accusations that Kim may have used her position for personal gain, violating South Korea’s anti-graft law.
Yoon has responded to the allegations, claiming that the release of the video was politically motivated to influence the upcoming election. He expressed regret that his wife did not reject the gift more firmly and accused the opposing parties of setting a trap to smear the first lady and influence the election.
The scandal has led to a significant drop in Yoon’s approval ratings and has become a focal point in the parliamentary election. The mounting public backlash has also caused a divide within the ruling party, with some members urging Yoon and Kim to apologize for the controversy.
Kim, who has been embroiled in controversies since her husband’s presidential campaign, has faced accusations ranging from resume-padding and plagiarism to stock price manipulation and her family’s involvement in a scrapped expressway project.
