First Lady's Dior bag scandal shakes South Korea's leadership
South Korea's First Lady, Kim Keon Hee, is caught up in a scandal after allegedly receiving a pricey Dior bag from a pastor. A viral video from the left-wing YouTube channel "Voice of Seoul" released last year showed Pastor Choi Jae-young handing her the bag. This controversy could hurt President Yoon Suk Yeol and his People Power Party (PPP) in the upcoming elections in April as the opposition continues to demand an explanation.
Why does this story matter?
South Korean law forbids public officials and their spouses from accepting gifts valued over 1 million won (Rs. 62,303.79) at once or 3 million won (Rs. 1,86,934.11) within a fiscal year. The opposition is using this issue to attack Yoon and his party. Opposition leader Hong Ik-pyo said, "Makes no sense for the presidential office and ruling party to continue to ignore this." Another PPP leader, Kim Kyung-yul, compared the First Lady to Marie Antoinette, known for her lavish lifestyle.
Purported video shows pastor buying luxury bag
The footage, reportedly captured by Pastor Choi using a watch camera, shows him buying the grayish-blue calfskin bag for 3 million won and visiting Covana Contents, a company owned by the First Lady. Although the video doesn't directly show Kim accepting the gift, the presidential office confirmed they received the bag and that it's "being managed and stored as a property of the government." A poll revealed that 69% of eligible voters want President Yoon to explain his wife's actions.
Dior bag scandal causes rift within ruling party
This scandal has caused divisions within the ruling party too. President Yoon reportedly pushed for party leader Han Dong-hoon's resignation after he said the controversy "can be a matter of public concern." However, the decision was reversed. Han is considered a close associate of Yoon and a potential presidential candidate in 2027. The recent Gallup Korea survey showed that 52% of the 1,001 participants evaluated Han positively, while 40% rated him negatively.
Yoon's office to address the issue: Reports
Yoon's office is reportedly planning to address the issue "as early as this month." Seoul-based political analyst Rhee Jong-hoon has described it as a "political bombshell." In the previous years, Yoon's rating has seen a steady decline. Y oon replaced Moon Jae-in as president of South Korea on May 22, 2022. Notably, in December, a civic group filed a complaint with the country's Anti-Corrupt and Civil Rights Commission, demanding a probe into the matter.
