Following President Yoon Suk Yeol’s first official apology concerning the luxury bag bribery allegations, all eyes are on First Lady Kim Keon Hee’s next move. It will be of interest whether she will break her long silence and resume her official duties.
During Yoon’s second-anniversary press conference on May 9, he responded to questions about the special investigation into the First Lady by saying, “I apologize for the concerns caused to the public by my wife’s unwise actions.” The Presidential Office explained that Yoon’s apology was an unplanned decision made on the spot. Until now, Yoon has refrained from using the term “apology,” instead indirectly expressing his stance on the First Lady’s allegations by saying things like “it’s regrettable.”
However, with the opposition party threatening to reintroduce a special investigation law for the First Lady, and the prosecutor’s office also starting an investigation, the controversy continues. Yoon’s direct apology appears to have been intended to emphasize his sincerity and alleviate the pressure on the First Lady to resume her public duties.
Inside the Presidential Office, voices are calling for the First Lady to resume her public activities now that the general elections are over. Some speculate that she may start her public activities in May, which is considered the month of families. The First Lady attended events such as the Yongsan Children’s Garden opening event (May 4), the 101st Children’s Day celebration (May 5), and the special concert to commemorate the first anniversary of the opening of the Blue House (May 10) during 2023.
However, she did not attend any major events in May this year, including Children’s Day and Parents’ Day. It was belatedly revealed that she had participated in the pre-vote for the general elections in April.
The First Lady has not appeared in public for over 140 days since she visited the Netherlands in mid-December last year. There are concerns that the longer her hiatus, the harder it will be for her to resume her public activities.
A Presidential Office official said in a phone call on May 10th, “Wouldn’t there be an opportunity for her to act as the First Lady through a natural occasion?”
Continuing, there are predictions that she may appear at upcoming Presidential Office events or foreign tours.
If the First Lady resumes her public activities, whether a second auxiliary office will be established is also a matter of interest. It is known that the Presidential Office has been considering the establishment of a second auxiliary office since early this year. Yoon previously revealed in a broadcast interview in February that he was considering setting up a second auxiliary office.