From the 'Julie Allegation' to False Career, Stock Manipulation, Shamanism Suspicions, and 7-Hour Call Records
Allegations Surfaced Throughout the Presidential Election... Ultimately 'Kim Geon-hee's Appearance' Failed
Recently Switched to Public SNS, Recent Photos Also Released Through Media... Is Public Activity Imminent?
Speculation That Activities Will Resume Around Yoon's Inauguration
Democratic Party "Allegations Not Resolved"
Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, and his wife Kim Geon-hee are voting at an early voting station set up at the Seocho 1-dong Community Center in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 4th. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@
[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] There is growing anticipation that Kim Geon-hee, spouse of President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol, will soon begin public activities. The so-called 'Kim Geon-hee appearance theory' was consistently raised throughout the last presidential race but ultimately failed to materialize amid a series of allegations surrounding her.
Since her 'public apology' in December last year, Kim has been reserved in her remarks. Ahead of President-elect Yoon's inauguration on May 1, she has converted her previously private social media (SNS) account to public, and a media outlet released photos showing her modest recent life.
While some interpret this as a signal for resuming activities, given the difficulty of avoiding official duties as the president's spouse, others argue that clarifications regarding the earlier allegations should come first.
Kim was the figure who attracted the third most attention after the two leading presidential candidates in the 20th presidential election. Since Yoon's political debut in June last year, allegations have surfaced one after another, starting with claims that Kim worked in entertainment establishments under the stage name 'Julie.' Throughout the presidential race, accusations of falsifying academic credentials and career history, stock manipulation of Deutsche Motors, and shamanistic practices emerged repeatedly. Additionally, the so-called '7-hour phone call transcript,' which included conversations with a reporter from the YouTube-based media outlet 'Seoul's Voice,' drew significant public attention.
On the afternoon of January 16, the MBC program "Straight," which covers the '7-hour phone call' content of Kim Geon-hee, spouse of Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, is being broadcast on the electronic billboard at the MBC building in Sangam-dong, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Kim has addressed some of the allegations herself. Regarding the 'Julie allegation,' she refuted it through the online media 'News Bus,' stating, "I have two master's degrees and even a doctorate, I lecture at universities and run a business, so even if I wanted to be Julie, I don't have the time." Concerning accusations of inflating her tenure at the Korea Game Industry Association or falsifying awards, she partially admitted to the allegations on YTN, describing it as "an ambition to stand out."
Throughout the presidential race, the 'false career' allegations against Kim did not subside, leading to the unprecedented event of a presidential candidate's spouse issuing a public apology. As the controversy surrounding Kim intensified and affected the approval ratings of presidential candidate Yoon, Kim held a press conference and appeared before the public.
At the December 26 public apology press conference, Kim said, "There were mistakes in balancing work and studies. I exaggerated my career and made some errors in records to look better. I shouldn't have done that, and looking back, it was very shameful. Everything is my fault and negligence. Please forgive me. I sincerely apologize to the people." She also stated, "Even if my husband becomes president, I will focus solely on my role as a wife," indicating her intention to refrain from participating in Yoon's political activities as much as possible.
However, after Yoon's victory, Kim's messages regarding public activities showed subtle changes. On the 10th of last month, when Yoon's win was confirmed, Kim said in an interview with News1, "If conditions permit, I will work together so that the president-elect can pay more attention to the shadowed areas of society where the government’s reach does not extend."
President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's spouse, Kim Geon-hee, was recently photographed holding a police special forces bomb detection dog in front of their residence in Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul. It is expected that Mrs. Kim will soon begin public activities, including community service. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Recently, Kim switched her previously private personal SNS account to public, and photos of her with a police dog near her residence were released, fueling expectations that she will end her hiatus and soon begin public activities. Some speculate that as the first presidential spouse with a profession, Kim may leverage her background in culture and arts to start her public engagements.
As speculation about Kim's public activities grows, the Democratic Party has stated that resolving allegations related to stock manipulation and others must come first. On the 6th, Democratic Party lawmaker Choi Kang-wook appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' and said, "The person involved was summoned by the prosecution but denied ever receiving such a summons, refused to cooperate with investigations, and requested to postpone until after the election. There were various such stories. The person was very close to the candidate and there was even a court ruling that investigations related to this were being obstructed. This is what increased public interest."
Democratic Party spokesperson Shin Hyun-young also held a briefing at the National Assembly Communication Office on the 4th, stating, "It is outrageous to try to quietly start public activities while numerous allegations raised during the presidential election remain unresolved. Rather, if Ms. Kim wants to be recognized as the president's wife, she should first cooperate thoroughly to clarify the allegations against her. Plagiarism, falsification of academic and career records, and stock manipulation allegations remain ongoing and should not be ignored as if they never happened," she emphasized.
Criticism has also been raised regarding the sluggish investigation into Kim. On the 6th, Democratic Party co-chairman Yoon Ho-jung criticized, "The loyalty competition to align with the code of investigative agencies lacking fairness and principles has gone too far. While investigations into the Moon Jae-in government and ruling party were lightning-fast, those concerning the president-elect's close associates and Kim Geon-hee have been immovable and stagnant."
Experts emphasize that it is important for Kim, who faces various allegations, to demonstrate sincerity during her official activities. Political commentator Lee Jong-hoon explained, "Because her husband is the president, Kim Geon-hee has no choice but to engage in official activities. It would be good if she could utilize her profession as an exhibition planner and play the role of a 'first lady with a profession' like in foreign cases. However, given the significant allegations, even if she runs a business, suspicions that she received special favors due to her husband's influence are likely. It will be difficult for her to actively engage in professional activities."
He added, "As Kim herself mentioned, she is expected to focus on social service activities such as caring for vulnerable groups. If she approaches this with sincerity, she can shed the negative image and gain public recognition."
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