{"id":2206016,"date":"2024-08-02T17:39:49","date_gmt":"2024-08-02T08:39:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2206016"},"modified":"2024-08-05T17:10:58","modified_gmt":"2024-08-05T08:10:58","slug":"why-south-korea-is-reviving-the-first-ladys-office-after-proudly-abolishing-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2024\/08\/why-south-korea-is-reviving-the-first-ladys-office-after-proudly-abolishing-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Why South Korea is reviving the first lady\u2019s office after proudly abolishing it"},"content":{"rendered":"

The South Korean presidential office\u2019s <\/span>decision<\/span><\/a> to reinstate the first lady\u2019s 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

This move breaks a key <\/span>campaign<\/span><\/a> pledge<\/span><\/a> President Yoon Suk-yeol <\/span>made<\/span><\/a> and comes after two years of controversies surrounding his <\/span>wife<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Political<\/span><\/a> leaders<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>editorial<\/span><\/a> boards across the ideological spectrum have unanimously called for the office\u2019s revival, suggesting that the decision is a strategic attempt to minimize political risks for the remainder of Yoon\u2019s tenure, given his low approval ratings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Second Annex Office (\uc81c2\ubd80\uc18d\uc2e4), as it is officially named, has experienced a tumultuous history due to a <\/span>lack<\/span><\/a> of legal definition for the role and authority of presidential spouses.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the reinstatement under Yoon aims to align South Korea more closely with international norms and diplomatic formalities. It also seeks to provide a more structured and transparent framework for managing the first lady\u2019s activities, potentially mitigating future controversies and ongoing investigations against her.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Kim Keon-hee holding a child during her visit to Cambodia, which drew controversy over allegedly planned photography | Image: ROK Presidential Office (Nov. 2022)<\/p><\/div>\n

UNELECTED INFLUENCE<\/b><\/p>\n

The controversy surrounding the roles of first ladies is a global phenomenon in democratic countries. In <\/span>2017<\/span><\/a>, French President Emmanuel Macron faced <\/span>backlash<\/span><\/a> when he attempted to establish an official office for his wife. Additionally, critics have <\/span>frequently<\/span><\/a> accused<\/span><\/a> U.S. first lady Jill Biden of having undue influence on her husband.<\/span><\/p>\n

The core issue revolves around unelected figures wielding significant political influence while funded by taxpayer money, raising <\/span>questions<\/span><\/a> about democratic accountability.<\/span><\/p>\n

In South Korea, the public has viewed the first lady\u2019s office negatively since its establishment in <\/span>1972<\/span><\/a> under former President Park Chung-hee, perceiving it as a platform for <\/span>non-elected<\/span><\/a> individuals to directly <\/span>influence<\/span><\/a> politics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The office gained further notoriety in <\/span>2016<\/span><\/a> during the Park Geun-hye administration when news broke that the president\u2019s friend and confidante, Choi Soon-sil, had <\/span>used<\/span><\/a> the Second Annex Office as a conduit for unauthorized individuals to interfere in government affairs. The scandal eventually led to Park\u2019s impeachment and imprisonment.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the Moon Jae-in administration, the office faced <\/span>criticism<\/span><\/a> over the <\/span>alleged<\/span><\/a> misuse<\/span><\/a> of government funds to pay for then-first lady Kim Jung-sook\u2019s personal expenses. This controversy significantly influenced Yoon\u2019s campaign promise to abolish the office.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Kim attends a ceremony to mourn former President Roh Moo-hyun. She is accompanied by several former colleagues from Covana Contents | Image: ROK Presidential Office (July 2022)<\/p><\/div>\n

LACK OF OVERSIGHT<\/b><\/p>\n

The absence of the Second Annex Office has led to poor management of first lady Kim Keon-hee\u2019s activities, resulting in various problems that have contributed to Yoon\u2019s low approval ratings.<\/span><\/p>\n

For instance, Kim\u2019s former colleagues from her exhibition planning company, Covana Contents, were <\/span>photographed<\/span><\/a> providing<\/span><\/a> protocol services to Kim, leading to public <\/span>outcry<\/span><\/a>. In early 2022, her online fan club, \u201cKeonhee-sarang,\u201d <\/span>leaked<\/span><\/a> the president\u2019s schedule \u2014 which is classified information \u2014 raising security <\/span>concerns<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moreover, during a presidential visit to Lithuania in <\/span>July<\/span><\/a> 2023, Kim went shopping for luxury goods. She came under <\/span>criticism<\/span><\/a> for shopping outside of the first lady\u2019s official schedule.<\/span><\/p>\n

The most notable incident, the <\/span>Dior bag<\/span><\/a> scandal, occurred just before the April 2024 general election. A video captured Kim <\/span>receiving a luxury handbag<\/span><\/a> from a pastor during a meeting at her Covana Contents\u2019 <\/span>office<\/span><\/a> due to the <\/span>lack<\/span><\/a> of an official venue for the first lady to receive formal guests. The incident has led to <\/span>graft<\/span><\/a> accusations and continues to dominate news headlines.<\/span><\/p>\n

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) <\/span>cited<\/span><\/a> this scandal as one of the reasons for its election loss.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many<\/span><\/a> conservative<\/span><\/a> editorials<\/span><\/a> and ruling party figures have argued that a proper first lady\u2019s office could have prevented these scandals by managing Kim\u2019s schedule and acting as a firewall. Critics <\/span>argue<\/span><\/a> that the <\/span>lack<\/span><\/a> of such an office has led to inefficient use of resources, with presidential staff often diverted to handle Kim\u2019s affairs.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Yoon and Kim arriving in Turkmenistan | Image: ROK Presidential Office (June 2024)<\/p><\/div>\n

Internationally, the role and budget allocation for presidential spouses have always been contentious issues. In the U.S., while not explicitly outlined in law, the first lady\u2019s role has <\/span>some<\/span><\/a> legal basis and <\/span>precedents<\/span><\/a>, suggesting a status similar to a term-limited federal employee.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The role conventionally centers around social <\/span>advocacy<\/span><\/a>, which South Korea has tried to mirror. However, unlike South Korea, where the first lady\u2019s office is funded through the presidential office\u2019s special activity budget, the U.S. <\/span>allocates<\/span><\/a> a separate budget for its first lady\u2019s office.<\/span><\/p>\n

In legal terms, the first lady is considered a private citizen in the ROK, creating an ambiguous status that makes the position prone to controversy. To address this, the minor conservative New Reform Party has <\/span>proposed<\/span><\/a> the \u201cPresidential Spouse Law,\u201d which would subject the first lady to laws that govern other public officials.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t\t