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First lady face-off: Who are the women vying for the second-most scrutinized role in Korea?

Published: 28 May. 2025, 16:54 Updated: 28 May. 2025, 18:30

LEE SOO-JUNG
[email protected]

Seol Nan-young, spouse of conservative People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo, left, and Kim Hye-kyung, spouse of liberal Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, hold hands during a Buddhist event held at Shilla Hotel in central Seoul on May 12. [YONHAP]

With a newly elected president, Korea is expected to get a new first lady next week.

Whoever becomes the next first lady has a lot of pressure ahead, as the role has attracted much public scrutiny over the years, often posing as a risk factor for candidates and presidents.

Ahead of the June 3 presidential election, Seol Nan-young, conservative People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo's wife appeared in a Saturday Night Live Korea (SNL) episode on Saturday, satirizing rival Kim Hye-kyung, wife of Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-myung.

In the skit, Seol said, "Do not use [a government-issued] corporate credit card," to a comedian in playing Kim Hye-kyung, prompting immediate backlash from the DP.

Seol Nan-young, wife of conservative People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo, acts as a convenience store clerk during a Saturday Night Live Korea skit. Seol hugs a person playing her rival and says, ″Do not use a corporate card.″ [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Kim Hye-kyung was recently found guilty of violating the Public Official Election Act for misappropriating a Gyeonggi provincial government credit card when Lee was governor. Even if Lee, who denies the charges, wins the election, Kim's conviction could taint his political initiatives and presidency, some analysts say.

Seol is a former labor activist who remained out of the spotlight throughout her husband's public service and political career. She recently faced public backlash after describing herself as an "opposite person to what the general public thinks of labor unions," which she characterized as "radical, strong and ugly." On Monday, Seol apologized for her remarks.

A not-so-glamorous role

Ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, and his wife and former first lady Kim Keon Hee depart the official presidential residence in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on April 11. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

One former first lady — Yuk Young-soo, wife of the late President Park Chung Hee — was assassinated by a bullet aimed at her husband in 1974. Lee Hee-ho, the feminist pioneer who was the spouse of late President Kim Dae-jung, spoke at a special session of the United Nations General Assembly on children in May 2002 instead of her husband, who was advised to rest due to health conditions.

The spouse of the incoming president is tasked with setting clear boundaries for the first lady's official responsibilities: from supporting her husband on diplomatic occasions and hosting presidential guests to volunteering and sending a social message. Or sometimes, it could mean standing back.

Former first lady Kim Keon Hee frequently made headlines during her husband's presidential candidacy and time in office, facing allegations of stock manipulation and falsified career credentials.

In turn, ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol promised to dismantle the office of the personal secretary to the first lady, a move to minimize the public activities of his scandal-ridden wife.

Former first lady Kim Keon Hee bows after delivering an apology regarding suspicions about her academic records. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Kim was embroiled in a stock manipulation case and is accused of illegally accepting a Christian Dior handbag from a pastor in September 2022. The DP-controlled parliament passed special counsel bills targeting Kim multiple times, prompting Yoon to veto them every time.

Kim and Yoon allegedly meddled with the party's nomination process for the by-elections in 2022. The couple is suspected of assisting former PPP Rep. Kim Young-sun's nomination in return for receiving public polling data from a self-proclaimed political broker for free. The accusation prompted then-PPP chief Han Dong-hoon to request that Yoon limit Kim's public activities.

As controversies surrounding Kim's responsibilities and roles snowballed, Yoon belatedly said he will install a personal secretary's office for the first lady last November — two years and six months after his inauguration. However, further developments were not made.

Then-first lady Kim Jung-sook poses for a photograph in front of the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, on Nov. 7, 2018. [YONHAP]

Another former first lady, Kim Jung-sook, the wife of the liberal President Moon Jae-in, was accused of abuse of power and misappropriating state funds for a solo trip to India that the culture minister was originally scheduled to embark on in 2018. The PPP condemned her actions of using a presidential airplane to visit the Taj Mahal, saying it was “blatant interference in state affairs.” In February, prosecutors cleared the allegation. She has also been accused of spending state funds on expensive clothing.

Prof. Park Jong-min of Kyung Hee University's Department of Media pointed out that the lack of social consensus on the role of the first lady might be a reason why controversies around their actions continue.

“There are no clear social boundaries or an administrative system governing the first lady’s activities,” Park said, adding that the public’s growing demand for transparency and higher integrity places an extra burden on the contemporary presidential couple.

Who is Lee Jae-myung’s wife?

Kim Hye-kyung, wife of liberal Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, volunteers with senior adults at a local community center in Gwangju on May 16. [NEWS1]

Kim Hye-kyung was born into a middle-class family in Seoul in 1966. She was an aspiring pianist until she married Lee in 1991. The couple met through a blind date. Kim has said that she was fascinated by Lee, who candidly confessed to an impoverished childhood.

Instead of studying music abroad, Kim became a housewife and had two sons. In 2018, she published a cookbook, which became a best-seller at bookstore chain Kyobo Book Centre in July 2024.

In a 2017 interview with the JoongAng Ilbo, Kim said she fiercely opposed Lee’s bid to become Seongnam mayor in 2005. She even threatened to file for divorce.

However, her perception changed as she began to feel that “participating in public service with her husband was rewarding.” In 2017, the couple appeared on an SBS reality TV program “Dongsang Imong 2.”

Kim said she believed that the first lady could make “a positive impact through campaigns to change public awareness and cultural norms when the president manages policies in the political sphere.”

Who is Kim Moon-soo’s wife?

Seol Nan-young, wife of conservative People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo, holds the hands of a merchant working at a local market in Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi on May 25. [PEOPLE POWER PARTY]

Seol Nan-young, wife of the PPP’s Kim Moon-soo, was born in Jeolla, a liberal stronghold, in 1953. She first met Kim when both were Sejin Electronics and Hanil Dorco labor union leaders, respectively. They grew closer when Kim — who was on the run from police at the time — took shelter in Seol’s home, and the two married in 1981.

Seol took care of her husband when he was arrested for organizing a democratic movement in 1986. She ran a bookstore alone to make a living for their daughter. She also founded an organization representing the interests of women in the labor force.

Seol stayed in the shadows while Kim served as a three-term lawmaker between 1996 and 2006 and as Gyeonggi governor from 2006 to 2014. She has grown more vocal as of late, making frequent public appearances in presidential campaigns.

In a recent interview with local broadcaster Channel A, Seol said she joined the campaign to meet voters that her husband “had not been able to reach and to promote his capability as a leader.”

Seol also added that she believes that the secretary's office for the first lady is "necessary" to support her public activities professionally, noting that she is willing to receive advice from the office to find an appropriate boundary for the role.

Power play of spouses

Kim Moon-soo, presidential candidate from the conservative People Power Party, right, is seen with his wife, Seol Nan-young, after winning his party's primary held in Gyeonggi on May 3. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

The presence of the spouses of the two leading candidates, Kim and Seol, in the political sphere is shaping a new rivalry ahead of the election.

The third major candidate, the minor Reform Party's Lee Jun-seok, is single.

Last week, PPP interim chief Rep. Kim Yong-tae proposed a televised debate between two potential first ladies. He said his suggestion was to satisfy the "public’s right to information impartially."

“Qualification checks of previous first ladies were insufficient […] when considering their significant clout as public figures,” PPP leader Kim said.

The PPP appeared to try to highlight the integrity of Kim Moon-soo and Seol to contrast with Lee Jae-myung’s spouse.

On May 12, the Suwon High Court ordered Kim Hye-kyung to pay a fine of 1.5 million won ($1,100) for misusing a provincial government credit card for a meal with the spouses of DP lawmakers. The court said her actions served the interests of her husband, Gyeonggi governor and a presidential candidate in 2021.

Moon Woo-jin, a political science professor from Ajou University, said the PPP’s move was “merely an election tactic in its political offense” against the DP.

Seol, whose husband also served as Gyeonggi governor, positioned herself as a contrasting figure to her rival Kim Hye-kyung. Seol said the misappropriation of provincial funds “cannot be tolerated.” On Saturday, she added that she and her husband “strictly followed regulations regarding card usage” during her husband’s gubernatorial term.

Kim Hye-kyung, wife of liberal Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, is seen at the Suwon District Court in Gyeonggi in November 2024. [NEWS1]

During her recent appearance on SNL, Seol insinuated her rival as a person who supported her husband poorly by saying that the misappropriation of a credit card is "malicious, as it was covered by taxes." She also likened her husband to "clear water" and the DP's Lee to "dark coffee."

Prof. Kang Shin-goo from Ajou University said the PPP’s move represented a phenomenon in which the political sphere shifts public attention to private matters such as personality and family issues instead of policies. “The act of judging candidates through their spouses — who are not subjects of political evaluations — blurs the lines of democratic accountability,” Kang said.

Lee Jae-mook, a professor from the political science department of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, said the PPP’s offer “stemmed from extreme political polarization.” Lee noted that "the first lady is neither an elected official nor a public official in the civil service.”

The DP officially rejected the PPP’s proposal. DP senior spokesperson Rep. Jo Seoung-lae criticized the offer as being “absurd and preposterous.” Jo added, “Now is the time to evaluate who is the most prepared as president.”

According to Prof. Lee, the DP appeared to believe that the debate session might "damage Lee’s candidacy" by bringing up family issues — particularly, in a situation where his wife is accused of funds misappropriation. He added the PPP is likely to pressure Lee Jae-myung — if elected — by pushing for a state audit of his family members, who are embroiled in legal issues.

In regards to the SNL remarks, the DP's spokesperson on Monday urged Seol and the PPP to deal with her rival through "other means."

"Although politics can be used for comedy and topical debates, there is a boundary to respect," Jo said.

Trendsetter or pawn in political game?

Lee Jae-myung, left, and his wife Kim Hye-kyung pose for a photograph after Lee was elected as a lawmaker representing Incheon's Gyeyang-B district in the general election in April 2024. [JUN MIN-KYU]

Korea's first ladies came under public scrutiny — often more intensely than in other countries — due to its governance system, experts said.

Prof. Kang said the first lady is “considered to be the most powerful figure around the president,” adding that such a view might have led to the stronger scrutiny.

“Although Hilary Clinton, Michelle Obama and Melania Trump received a huge media spotlight, I have never heard of an attempt to have potential first ladies debate,” Kang added, referring to spouses of U.S. presidents.

Prof. Park said Koreans consider the presidential couple to be subject to public judgment because the president holds extensive executive power as a “sole executive leader."

“In a constitutional monarchy, royal families demonstrate ethical leadership and noblesse oblige, while prime ministers are expected to prove professionalism,” Park said. “However, under Korea’s single-leadership system, the presidential couples bear those public expectations altogether."

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [[email protected]]

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First lady face-off: Who are the women vying for the second-most scrutinized role in Korea?

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