Controversy around candidates' spouses widens the divide

Kim Hye-kyung, wife of Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, left, and Kim Keon-hee, wife of People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol [JOONGANG ILBO]

Perhaps for the first time in the history of Korea’s presidential elections, voters are paying an extra special amount of attention to the candidates' spouses, debating who is more fit to become first lady.

The two women at the center of daily media scrutiny and political mudslinging are Kim Keon-hee, a 49-year-old event planner married to People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol, and Kim Hye-kyung, 55-year-old wife of Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-myung. Yoon and Kim Keon-hee married in 2012, and Lee and Kim Hye-kyung married in 1991.

Both would-be first ladies have fandoms. An internet fan club for Kim Keon-hee was first created in December 2021, and as of Tuesday afternoon, the cyber community has more than 68,900 members.

In January this year, a rival fan club was created to support Kim Hye-kyung and has more than 30,700 members.

These fan clubs are growing despite the media continually reporting about alleged ethical lapses and corruption surrounding the two women. Supporters of either of the two Kims are increasingly joining the internet groups to defend them from accusations and discuss their qualifications to be Korea's first lady.

The number of supporters joining Kim Hye-kyung’s fan club recently jumped after the media started releasing a series of reports that Kim had abused power when Lee was serving as governor of Gyeonggi.

The couple apologized last week for various allegations that civil servants at the governor’s office were ordered to run personal errands for his wife. One of the allegations was that she had used a credit card billing the provincial government for her private expenses.

Since 2016, the government has prohibited spouses of local government heads from receiving support from civil servants for personal activities. Likewise, government credit cards are not supposed to be used for personal expenses.

Following media reports, supporters posted messages on the fan club’s forum, cheering for Kim. “Face the situation with confidence,” one commenter wrote.

While the former governor’s wife battles allegations of abuse of power and ethical lapses, Kim Keon-hee, wife of former prosecutor-general Yoon, also faces a series of accusations that she had tried to influence her husband’s election campaign and is involved in shamanism.

Last month, broadcaster MBC aired parts of 52 phone conversations between Kim and a journalist of a liberal YouTube media outlet.

According to the report, Kim suggested that Me Too scandals among liberal politicians occurred because they did not compensate their victims. She said conservatives paid off victims better than the liberals, which is "why Me Too doesn't happen over here [in the PPP]."

She also asked for the journalist’s help to get Yoon elected and offered him a handsome salary to join Yoon’s election campaign.

Following the reports, Kim issued a statement that she was not involved in any political activities of her husband nor was she involved in his election campaign. "I apologize to the public for inappropriate words that came out in the process of criticizing some progressives' sexual exploits," she also said.

Other fringe media later featured more sensational parts of the phone conversations, such as her fascination with fortunetelling.

“I am a clairvoyant person and Yoon also has a similar ability, so that was how we were connected,” she said in the recording.

According to the reports, Kim said that she would respect a fortune-teller’s advice that the Blue House guest house be relocated if Yoon is elected.

Rep. Kim Eui-kyeom of the ruling DP also said Sunday that Kim only married Yoon because a shaman had predicted that Yoon would become prosecutor general.

In a Facebook post, the lawmaker claimed that she had consulted the shaman every morning to discuss her event planning company’s business and the fates of her employees. “I am concerned that if she becomes first lady, ministers and presidential aides will be selected based on fortune-tellers’ advice,” the lawmaker said.

The PPP said Monday it will bring a defamation lawsuit against Rep. Kim.

Before her supposed obsession with fortune-telling and inappropriate remarks were made public, Kim was also criticized for exaggerating her academic credentials and career experiences on a résumé. She issued a public apology for her past wrongdoings in a press conference on Dec. 26, calling them innocent mistakes to show off and saying she feels ashamed by them.

The intensifying personality attacks against Kim rather triggered her supporters, causing them to join her fan club. The online fan club was first created on Dec. 19 with just 200 members, but the number skyrocketed to 25,038 on Jan. 19, 2022, three days after the MBC report. The number continues to grow, and neared 70,000 as of Tuesday.

Though in the midst of various controversies, her fans do not hesitate to show their affection toward her. Some posted images of Kim on the forum to show their support.

One is a photo of Kim’s face photoshopped onto a movie poster with actress Audrey Hepburn. The photo bears the slogan, “Be my queen.”

Another photo was a composite of Kim’s face on the body of Wonder Woman.

The fan club also created and sold facemasks with a cartoon image of Kim’s face. The masks were priced at 100,000 won ($84) for 100. It was unclear how the profit will be used.

korea joongAng daily

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Controversy around candidates' spouses widens the divide

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