Jeong Okim Criticizes Kim Yongtae's 'Spouse Debate' Proposal: "Even in Desperation, Think Before You Speak"

Kim Yongtae Proposes TV Debate for Presidential Candidates' Spouses
Jeong Okim: "Spouses Are Private Individuals... Does This Make Sense?"
Lee Jaemyung: "Turning It Into an Event", Lee Junseok: "A Waste of Time"

Kim Yongtae, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, proposed a live TV debate for presidential candidates' spouses, prompting former lawmaker Jeong Okim, known for her conservative stance, to criticize him, saying, "Think before you speak." In an interview on CBS Radio's "Park Jaehong's Hanpan Seungbu" on May 20, Jeong said, "During the Yoon Sukyeol administration, the shadow of the First Lady was too large," but added, "They are private individuals and citizens, so how does this make sense?"

Kim Moonsoo, the wife of the People Power Party's presidential candidate, Seol Nanyeong, and Kim Hye Kyung, the wife of the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, Lee Jae Myung. Yonhap News

Jeong Okim commented, "I understand the reason for proposing a debate about the First Lady. Recently, Kim Hye Kyung, the wife of Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae Myung, has hardly appeared in public. It seems she is being extra cautious. On the other hand, Seol Nanyeong, the wife of People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moonsoo, has been giving interviews here and there. As a former labor union leader, she is very articulate and sometimes even seems better than the candidate himself." Jeong continued, "That’s probably why the People Power Party brought this up in a desperate situation. But as the Emergency Response Committee Chairman, he should not have said this. I hope he would think more carefully and speak with the weight of his position as the chairman of a major party."

However, she added, "Whoever it is, someone will become the First Lady, and that makes her a public figure, even if not a public official. In fact, as a lesson from the previous administration, it has become a very important issue that whoever becomes the First Lady must now act in a manner befitting the role."

Kim Yongtae, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

On the same day, Kim Yongtae held an emergency press conference at the National Assembly, stating, "I propose a live TV debate for presidential candidates' spouses," and called on them to "frankly share their views with the public, not only on policies and philosophies for women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, but also on the role and responsibilities of the First Lady." He pointed out, "The First Lady is not just the president's spouse, but a public figure standing closest to the people alongside the president," and added, "For a long time, First Ladies have been outside the scope of scrutiny." He continued, "Issues involving presidential spouses in the past have brought disappointment rather than hope, and division rather than unity, to the people. Things must change. This vicious cycle must not be repeated."

The Democratic Party immediately voiced criticism. Noh Jongmyeon, spokesperson for the Democratic Party's Election Countermeasures Committee, wrote on social media, "This is absurd and bizarre. After serving Kim Keonhee (wife of former President Yoon Sukyeol), do they now see the spouse as the president?" He added, "Since it's clear (Kim Moonsoo) cannot win as a candidate, are they actually trying to replace him with his spouse in what amounts to a 'candidate swap season 2'?"

Lawmaker Choi Minhee also posted on social media, "The presidential candidates are Lee Jae Myung and Kim Moonsoo. There will be no talk of V1 or V2 going forward," and criticized, "How much longer will they remain nostalgic about Kim Keonhee?" Lawmaker Jeon Yonggi also condemned the proposal, saying, "Is it sane to put someone who is not even a public official on TV for a political show? Are they now officially acknowledging suspicions that Kim Keonhee was the real power behind the scenes? Instead of wasting time on nonsense like a spouse debate, I hope they focus on vetting the candidates themselves and competing on policy."

Candidate Lee Jae Myung stated, "The sacred arena of exercising sovereignty should not be turned into an event or a joke in this way," and drew a line against Kim's proposal, calling it "impulsive, irresponsible, and lacking in preparation?problems of that party." Lee Junseok, presidential candidate for the Reform New Party, said, "With less than two weeks left until the election, this is a waste of time," and added, "If Kim were in front of me, I would have scolded him severely."