Why South Korea is reviving the first lady’s office after proudly abolishing it



Analysis Why South Korea is reviving the first lady’s office after proudly abolishing it Reinstating the Second Annex Office risks hypocrisy accusations but may mitigate political fallout Jeongmin KimAugust 2, 2024 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Kim Keon-hee and Jill Biden at a NATO program for the spouses of heads of state \| Image: ROK Presidential Office (July 2024) The South Korean presidential office’s decision to reinstate the first lady’s office for Kim Keon-hee has sparked a debate about the role of unelected figures in politics and their influence on policy decisions using taxpayer money. This move breaks a key campaign pledge President Yoon Suk-yeol made and comes after two years of controversies surrounding his wife. The South Korean presidential office’s decision to reinstate the first lady’s office for Kim Keon-hee has sparked a debate about the role of unelected figures in politics and their influence on policy decisions using taxpayer money. This move breaks a key campaign pledge President Yoon Suk-yeol made and comes after two years of controversies surrounding his wife. Get 30 days of free access to KoreaPro Full access to all analysis The KOREA PRO newsletter, every business day Daily analysis on the top story of the day The ability to suggest topics for coverage by our specialist team Be smart about South Korea Get full access to expert analysis and opinion. Start now No charges during your trial. Cancel anytime. A paid subscription will start after 30 days. © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Briefing Start your day with the South Korea stories that matter most – as selected by And how should we address you in correspondence? One more step! Please check your inbox, for an email we just sent you, and click on the confirmation message in it to get subscribed to our Daily Briefing. LATEST ANALYSIS 01South Korea targets semiconductor self-reliance for national defense 02Employment for married South Korean women hits record but Devil is in details 03Trump’s return forces South Korea’s defense industry to adapt to new realities 04Lee Jae-myung verdict disrupts South Korea’s opposition party and 2027 election 05South Korea grapples with how to stymie crypto-fueled drug trade 06Science vs. Humanities: Why South Korean students switch their academic tracks 07How pro-Russian hackers took down South Korea websites over support for Ukraine 08South Korea’s Ukraine observer mission sparks debate about military deployment

Analysis

Why South Korea is reviving the first lady’s office after proudly abolishing it

Reinstating the Second Annex Office risks hypocrisy accusations but may mitigate political fallout

Jeongmin KimAugust 2, 2024

Why South Korea is reviving the first lady’s office after proudly abolishing it

Kim Keon-hee and Jill Biden at a NATO program for the spouses of heads of state | Image: ROK Presidential Office (July 2024)

The South Korean presidential office’s decision to reinstate the first lady’s office for Kim Keon-hee has sparked a debate about the role of unelected figures in politics and their influence on policy decisions using taxpayer money.

This move breaks a key campaign pledge President Yoon Suk-yeol made and comes after two years of controversies surrounding his wife.

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Why South Korea is reviving the first lady’s office after proudly abolishing it

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Jeongmin Kim

Why South Korea is reviving the first lady’s office after proudly abolishing it

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Jeongmin Kim

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