Hong Jun-pyo: "Not the time for Kim Geon-hee to engage in public activities... She should practice self-restraint"

Mayor Hong on Radio Current Affairs Program
"Even if frustrating, we must endure... It's right to avoid the downpour"

As First Lady Kim Keon-hee, wife of President Yoon Suk-yeol, recently resumed public activities, Hong Joon-pyo, Mayor of Daegu, requested her to refrain, saying, "Even if it is frustrating, now is not the time to appear or engage in public activities."

Mayor Hong made this remark on the night of the 16th during an appearance on CBS Radio's 'Park Jae-hong's One-on-One Match.' At the time, the host asked Mayor Hong, "First Lady Kim has recently appeared in photos of volunteer activities, visits to Mapo Bridge, and Chuseok greeting videos, but the opposition party has criticized her actions heavily. What is your view on this?"

Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo is explaining local issues at a press conference held on the 11th at the Sanggyeok Office of Daegu Metropolitan City Hall in Buk-gu, Daegu.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

In response, Mayor Hong said, "She is currently embroiled in all sorts of controversies," and added, "Even if it is frustrating, now is not the time for her to come out." He continued, "We should view (First Lady Kim's activities) positively, but due to various controversies, the public does not see them positively and instead views them maliciously," pointing out, "Engaging in public activities now could make things harder for the people." He then advised, "Wouldn't it be better if she holds back? When a rain shower comes, it is right to avoid it."

On the 15th, during the Chuseok holiday, Kim Keon-hee, wife of President Yoon Suk-yeol, visited Daum Disabled Children Support Center, a residential facility for disabled children in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul. While playing coloring games with the children, one child was eating a Shine Muscat grape offered by her.
[Photo by the Presidential Office, Yonhap News]

Mayor Hong also said that President Yoon should step in to advise First Lady Kim to restrain her activities. He said, "There probably isn't an aide who can advise on this (regarding First Lady Kim's issues)," adding, "All past presidents have been like that." He cited the example of former President Moon Jae-in's wife, Kim Jung-sook, visiting India. "During President Moon's term, could the president have stopped Kim Jung-sook from taking the presidential plane alone to visit the Taj Mahal?" he said, suggesting that it would also be difficult for President Yoon to advise the First Lady.

Meanwhile, the opposition party has strongly criticized First Lady Kim, who has been increasing her public activities such as preparing to establish a second secretariat, visiting Mapo Bridge, and volunteering at a support center for children with disabilities, calling it a "shameless resumption of activities."

Park Ji-won, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, expressed anger over President Yoon and First Lady Kim's Chuseok greetings on his Facebook on the 14th. In the post, Park criticized the Chuseok photo of the presidential couple taken with their pet dog, saying, "They care more about the dog than the people. If they hadn't come out for the Chuseok greeting at all, I wouldn't have been this angry." He added, "(This is why President Yoon's) approval rating is in the 20% range while disapproval is at 70%. It keeps falling."