South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has landed in a repair as a scandal regarding his spouse, Kim Keon Hee, has put his conservative Individuals Energy Celebration (PPP) in disarray. The scandal comes months earlier than the April 10 elections and will doubtlessly threaten Yoon’s bid to reclaim a parliamentary majority.
Keon Hee, South Korea’s First Woman, is accused of accepting an costly reward from a Korean American pastor, Rev Abraham Choi, which violates Korea’s anti-bribery regulation, information company Reuters reported.
Dubbed the ‘Dior Bag Scandal’ by the native media, Kim Keon was secretly filmed by the pastor whereas accepting a handbag, price 3 million received (2, 250 US {Dollars}).
The case surfaced in November final yr when a personal YouTube channel aired the video clip which was secretly recorded by the pastor.
South Korea has a really strict anti-bribery regulation, and it’s unlawful to simply accept presents price 750 US {Dollars} directly or 2,200 US {Dollars} per yr.
BIG WORRY FOR PRESIDENT YOON
The controversy has snowballed into a giant disaster for President Yoon, whose social gathering PPP, is a minority within the Parliament, faces the concern of defeat within the April 10 elections.
Yoon’s PPP received an in depth election in 2022, however remains to be a minority within the Parliament managed by the rival Democratic social gathering.
In a ballot launched by YTN cable information this week, 69 per cent of respondents stated Yoon wants to elucidate his place concerning the controversy across the First Woman.
“Most people thinks, ‘Okay, it might be a entice, however why did she take it (the bag) anyway?'” stated Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji College.
Some social gathering members have urged the President and his spouse to confess receiving the purse and apologize for the incident, to place the matter to relaxation.
In keeping with analysts, opting to stay silent over it and as a substitute pushing a celebration chief to resign attributable to some disagreement may cost a little the PPP, the April 10 elections.
“It’s a political bombshell. The Kim Keon Hee dangers are solely going to get larger,” stated Rhee Jong-hoon, a political analyst.
FIRST MEETING WITH KEON
An unnamed presidential official advised Yonhap information company final week that Choi had intentionally approached Kim aspiring to illegally movie utilizing his household connections.
Choi stated that although Kim was a household acquaintance, her response to discussions over luxurious presents of their first assembly led him to imagine that such presents had been the one strategy to safe an viewers.
“You would possibly say they had been like an entry move, a ticket for a gathering (with Kim),” Choi advised Reuters in an interview on Tuesday.
Choi stated that he turned involved after the assembly with Kim and labored with a reporter at a YouTube channel to movie her accepting the dear bag throughout the second go to.
Yoon’s workplace stated it had no info to offer when requested about Choi’s claims.
