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The Korea Times

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol apologised to the public on Thursday for a series of controversies involving first lady Kim Keon-hee.
In a televised press conference, he acknowledged that his wife’s carelessness had caused public concern. He stood up and bowed deeply, the first such apology he has made during his term.
The apology has come amid growing allegations, including the presidential couple’s interference in the ruling party’s candidate selection in a 2022 by-election, their suspicious links to a political broker, Kim’s involvement in a stock manipulation case and her acceptance of a luxury bag as a gift.
Yoon, however, showed his clear objection to an opposition-led special counsel investigation bill targeting the first lady, calling it “unconstitutional” and “inappropriate”.

Yoon started the 140-minute press conference with an apology, standing up and bowing deeply.
“I have caused concern and worry to the public over matters related to those around me,” he said. “The role of the president is not one for making excuses; the responsibility is mine, and it stems from my shortcomings. I sincerely apologise and express my deepest regrets.”
He called his wife’s actions “indiscreet” and vowed to minimise her external activities and roles.
“Taking current public sentiment fully into account, while the first lady’s public activities had already been minimized, they will now be fully suspended unless deemed essential by myself and presidential advisers for diplomatic protocol or national interest,” Yoon said. He added that her external activities will now be overseen by a newly established office dedicated to her role, which was officially launched earlier in the day.
Although acknowledging that some of the first lady’s actions were imprudent, the president defended her, stating that her portrayal had been excessively “demonised” and some of the claims against her are “exaggerated and even fabricated.”
The president also said he would appoint a special inspector general – a position responsible for overseeing the misconduct of individuals close to the president, such as family members or those with other special ties to the president – if the National Assembly recommends a candidate for the position.

Despite his apology, the president firmly opposed the proposed bill put forward by the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) for a special counsel to investigate allegations involving the first lady, calling it “unconstitutional” and “politically motivated”.
As to the allegations that Kim interfered with state affairs, Yoon said, “If they call a first lady’s helping of the president and advice for his smooth state management ‘interference’, then we’ll have to make a new definition of interference in the dictionary.”
Regarding the special counsel bill, Yoon also mentioned “double jeopardy” – a legal principle that protects individuals from being tried or punished more than once for the same offence.
“For over two years, hundreds of investigators were assigned during the previous administration, interrogating a large number of people, all in the hopes of implicating my wife and finding charges to prosecute her for. Yet, in the end, they couldn’t indict her, could they?” Yoon noted, adding that the opposition’s move to investigate her again would no longer be a judicial action, but political propaganda.
Regarding the election meddling allegations involving Myung Tae-kyun – a self-proclaimed political broker – the president firmly denied the accusations, emphasising that there is “nothing inappropriate or to hide.”
The accusations include that the first lady and Myung communicated to interfere with candidate nominations within the ruling People Power Party (PPP) ahead of the 2022 by-elections, as well as the assertion that the first lady sought Myung’s help to conduct public opinion surveys favouring Yoon ahead of the party primary before the 2022 presidential election.
“I have never asked Myung Tae-kyun to conduct a public opinion survey. During the election, I was frequently informed by political figures from our party, including Myung, about survey results that had been released or were about to be announced. I had no reason to manipulate these surveys, and since the results were favourable to me, there was no need to alter them. Even if the results had been unfavourable, I have never resorted to manipulating surveys in my life,” the president said.
Concerning his communications with Myung, which was confirmed by a recording of a conversation between the two, the president emphasised that he only expressed minimal gratitude to Myung after being elected, for his role in the early stages of his political career, during which Myung, like hundreds of other political experts, offered some advice.
He added that his wife and Myung “only had routine communication”, and after his inauguration, both he and his wife should have changed their phone numbers to allay any suspicions, but he acknowledged that he made a mistake in not doing so.


With regard to the allegations that he exerted influence over party nominations in 2022, he emphasised that he could not have been involved, as all matters related to the nominations fall under the authority of the party’s nomination committee.
Lastly, the president pledged a reshuffle within his government to reassure the public of its transformation, vowing to do his utmost until the end of his term in May 2027. His presidential term will reach its halfway point on Sunday.
After the press conference, ruling People Power Party floor leader Rep. Choo Kyung-ho said Yoon explained the controversies in a candid way. “With the press conference as a momentum, we hope the National Assembly will end the political strife between rival parties and focus on its own duties, taking care of public livelihoods and foreign and security affairs,” he said in a statement.
On the contrary, main opposition Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Rep. Lee Jae-myung said, “It doesn’t seem people would accept [his explanation about the controversies] without hesitation.”
DPK spokesman Rep. Jo Seoung-lae said, “The 140-minutes address and conference was filled with a vain apology, excuses, irreformable arrogance and self-righteousness.”


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South Korea’s Yoon apologises for first lady’s ‘indiscreet’ actions, controversies

South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol acknowledged that his wife Kim Keon-hee’s carelessness had caused public concern. Photo: AP

Although acknowledging that some of First Lady Kim Keon-hee’s actions were imprudent, President Yoon defended her. Photo: Reuters

Lawmakers of South Korea’s opposition Democratic Party hold a rally urging President Yoon Suk-yeol to accept an independent counsel’s probe into allegations involving his wife. Photo: EPA-EFE

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He will also appoint a special inspector general to oversee the misconduct of individuals close to the president


He will also appoint a special inspector general to oversee the misconduct of individuals close to the president.


Yoon Suk-yeol

Asia elections

South Korea’s Yoon apologises for first lady’s ‘indiscreet’ actions, controversies

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}He will also appoint a special inspector general to oversee the misconduct of individuals close to the president

He will also appoint a special inspector general to oversee the misconduct of individuals close to the president