Yoon Hojung and First Lady Kim Geonhee's 'Warm and Friendly' Moment... Yoon's Side Says "Captured Instantly"

First Lady Kim Keon-hee, wife of President Yoon Suk-yeol, is having a conversation with Yoon Ho-jung, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea, at a dinner party for foreign guests held at the Shilla Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of the 10th. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] After the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's presidential office released a photo on the 11th of First Lady Kim Geon-hee and Yoon Ho-jung, the Emergency Response Committee Chairperson of the Democratic Party of Korea, some hardline Democratic Party supporters criticized it, prompting Yoon’s committee side to explain it as a "momentary capture."

Previously, on the 10th, Yoon, the committee chairperson, attended a congratulatory banquet celebrating President Yoon’s inauguration held at the Shilla Hotel Yeongbingwan in Jung-gu. Subsequently, on the 11th, the presidential office released a photo showing Yoon facing First Lady Kim, covering his mouth with his left hand while smiling broadly.

Once the photo was released, some hardline Democratic Party supporters directed criticism toward Chairperson Yoon. Critical posts also flooded the Democratic Party’s member bulletin board.

Since it had been only a short time after the party’s defeat in the last presidential election, and amid the presidential office relocation and the personnel hearing political situation, where the party had been opposing the new government, this photo appears to have struck a nerve with the supporters’ emotions.

Kim Yong-min, chairman of the Peace Tree, also expressed discomfort on Facebook on the 11th, saying, "Attacking Yoon (President Yoon Seok-yeol)’s wife in front of the camera, but having a cordial talk behind the scenes. Is it because they share the same surname Yoon?"

Some quarters are also casting suspicious eyes, questioning whether the presidential office’s release of the photo had an ulterior motive.

Regarding this, a representative from Chairperson Yoon’s side said, "We understand the feelings of the party members, but at a dinner with invited foreign guests, you cannot afford to show a flushed face, and it’s not like he was smiling the whole time; it was just a moment that was captured."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.