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.

Political leaders and editorial boards across the ideological spectrum have unanimously called for the office’s revival, suggesting that the decision is a strategic attempt to minimize political risks for the remainder of Yoon’s tenure, given his low approval ratings. 

The Second Annex