Kim Keon-hee was born on 2 September 1972, is a South Korean businesswoman who has been the First Lady of South Korea since 10 May 2022 as the wife of President Yoon Suk Yeol. Since 2009, she is the chief executive officer and president of the art exhibition company, Covana Contents.
The first
lady has been grappling with several scandals, including spy camera footage
purportedly showing her accepting a luxury Dior bag as a gift from a pastor. Left-wing
YouTube channel Voice of Seoul published a video that purportedly showed Kim
accepting a 3m won ($2,200; £1,800) Dior bag from a pastor, who filmed the
exchange in September using a camera concealed in his watch.
The pastor
claimed that he sought several favors of Kim in exchange for the handbag and
other gifts. The favors included a request to secure the burial site of former
Korean American U.S. House Representative Jay Chang Joon Kim at Seoul National
Cemetery.
According to
an anti-bribery law in Korea, they cannot accept a gift more expensive than around
$750. The bag was way more expensive.
The scandal
also caused rifts within Yoon's party, with one leader comparing Ms Kim with
Marie Antoinette, the queen of France notorious for her extravagant lifestyle.
Read more: 6 Youngest First Ladies of the United States in the history with pics
The
opposition party has also long accused the first lady of being involved in
stock price manipulation. Earlier in the year, Yoon vetoed a bill calling for
his wife to be investigated over those allegations.
South
Korea’s president has apologised for a string of controversies surrounding his
wife that included allegedly accepting a luxury Dior handbag and stock
manipulation. Addressing the nation on television, Yoon Suk Yeol said his wife,
Kim Keon Hee, should have conducted herself better, but her portrayal had been
excessively "demonised", adding that some of the claims against her
were "exaggerated”.
It is not
the first time Kim has faced public scrutiny. During Yoon's presidential
campaign, she was forced to apologize over falsified credentials.
At last, The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office also decided to clear Kim of any charges after a four-month investigation, concluding that the gift was unrelated to her husband’s official duties and therefore did not constitute bribery.