Is First Lady Kim Keon Hee’s Scandal Too Big to Ignore? South Korea Awaits President’s Response

On Monday, a public opinion poll revealed that both President Yoon Suk Yeol and the ruling People Power Party hit their lowest approval ratings since the current administration took office. Reports indicate that Yoon’s approval rating has fallen even further from last week, marking the lowest point of his presidency. As Yoon approaches the halfway point of his term on the 10th, foreign media have reportedly spotlighted the president’s situation, particularly his struggles with the so-called Kim Keon Hee risk, drawing significant attention within the industry.

On October 29, U.S. foreign affairs magazine The Diplomat published an article titled “Kim Keon Hee Risk Is a Ticking Time Bomb for South Korea’s President.” The article reportedly pointed out several controversies surrounding First Lady Kim and highlighted what it described as Yoon’s double standards in addressing these issues.

The Diplomat stated, “The biggest political risk for Yoon Suk Yeol is none other than his wife and her many associated scandals, which Yoon refuses to investigate.” The article further noted, “His presidency so far has been overshadowed by what’s collectively known as the Kim Keon Hee risk – the scandals involving none other than the president’s wife.”

The magazine also listed controversies surrounding First Lady Kim, such as falsifying credentials, allegations of receiving luxury handbags, and suspicions of stock manipulation related to Deutsch Motors. It also covered recent allegations of meddling in candidate nominations involving both the president and his wife with Myeong Tae Gyun. The Diplomat reported that the president and first lady have not issued an official apology, and the presidential office has ignored public calls for a formal investigation.

The Diplomat emphasized, “Equally troubling is the president’s constant downplaying and justification of his spouse’s misconduct. Yoon’s once-stalwart image as an uncompromising prosecutor who led heavy-handed investigations into political and business elites is nowhere to be seen today.”

The magazine noted that Yoon had exercised his veto power twice against the special probe law concerning Kim despite overwhelming public support. They highlighted, “When the misconduct charges implicate his family, the president apparently operates with a different yardstick.”

The magazine also noted that since Yoon took office in May 2022, he has frequently used the rule of law as a key theme in his speeches, adding, “But as any citizen of a functioning liberal democracy knows, the rule of law can only thrive when everyone—including the leader and his kin—is held accountable to the same standards and laws.”

Finally, The Diplomat raised concerns that the controversies surrounding Kim could lead to even larger repercussions in the future. They reported, “At this point, conservative constituents and politicians are walking on pins and needles, waiting to see what other bombshells will surface in the final two-and-a-half-years of Yoon’s tenure. Future scandals could ultimately jeopardize the incumbent regime’s survival.”

This observation supported the continuous decline in the presidential approval rating shown in the recent Gallup Korea poll. According to Gallup Korea, which surveyed 1,005 adults nationwide via telephone interviews from October 29 to 31 (with a 95% confidence level and a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points), Yoon’s positive job approval rating was recorded at 19%, the lowest since his inauguration. Gallup Korea explained, “A majority of voters cited issues related to First Lady Kim as the reason for their lack of support for Yoon.”

Meanwhile, another survey conducted by Realmeter for the Energy Economy News between October 28 and November 1, polling 2,516 voters aged 18 and over nationwide (with a 95% confidence level and a margin of error of ±2.0 percentage points), found that Yoon’s approval rating stood at 22.4%.

This decreased 2.2 percentage points from the previous week, marking the lowest level since his inauguration, drawing significant attention. Notably, Yoon’s approval rating, which hit a record low of 24.1% two weeks ago, has once again declined in this latest survey. Realmeter noted, “The most prominent finding is the decline in positive evaluations among conservatives and those aged 60 and above, traditionally the president’s support base,” adding, “With his base of support also visibly disappointed, how the administration addresses public sentiment will be crucial.”

Thus, as Yoon’s approval rating falls to its lowest point since taking office, and with ongoing controversies like the “Myeong Tae Gyun recording,” calls for reform from within the ruling party toward the presidential office continue to grow. The spotlight now turns to the measures the office will implement in response.