Lady Dior pouch and South Korea’s martial law crisis: How Kim Keon Hee’s scandal turned the tide against President Yeol today news

South Korea Martial Law: South Korea is in the midst of its most turbulent political crisis in decades, triggered by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s unexpected declaration of martial law. The move, which shocked the entire country, was swiftly reversed after only a few hours, but its political consequences were far-reaching, sparking calls for impeachment. Yet, the president’s troubles run even deeper: Long before the martial law debacle and his tough stance on North Korea, his wife, Kim Keon Hee, was already at the center of a scandal involving a luxury Dior bag — a Controversy which only added fuel to the fire.

Yeol’s wife Kim Keon Hee’s cloud blue cage lambskin Lady Dior pouch turned the tide against the president before he could even vaguely say ‘North Korea’.

Kim Keon Hee’s Lady Dior pouch scandal

Known for her high-profile lifestyle and outspoken advocacy on cultural issues, Kim Keon Hee has found herself at the center of controversy after being accused of embezzling $2,200. 1.86 lakh) Lady Dior pouch bag from a Korean-American pastor in 2022.

The incident, captured on hidden cameras, has sparked outrage across the country, with critics accusing Kim Keon-hee, the South Korean president’s wife, of using her position for personal gain.

This scandal called “Dior Bag Scandal” has brought Kim Keon Hee into the limelight.

In the footage, Kim was seen receiving the Lady Dior pouch, a luxurious calfskin handbag, during a meeting with Pastor Choi Jae-young. Although the video does not show Kim directly accepting the bag, the presence of a Dior shopping bag on the table is enough to raise suspicions. Under South Korea’s anti-corruption laws, public officials and their spouses are prohibited from accepting gifts worth more than $750. 63,000) in connection with his official duties.

The controversy has deepened in the months since the video’s release.

Left-leaning YouTube channel The Voice of Seoul published the footage, claiming it was part of a broader effort to expose Kim Keon Hee’s alleged abuse of her position.

The first lady has not publicly commented on the allegations, but her husband, President Yoon, has defended them, arguing that the release of the video was politically motivated ahead of the April elections.

At a press conference in January, Choi defended her decision to use a hidden camera to record her meetings with Kim, citing it as a way to highlight alleged abuse of her position as First Lady. Said necessary.

Choi revealed that he first contacted Kim through a messaging app for advice on North Korea policy when Yoon was campaigning for the presidency. They claimed that during a meeting in June 2022, Kim accepted a Chanel cosmetics set worth $1,300. 1.10 lakh).

Choi further said that he was only allowed a meeting with the First Lady after he said he would bring expensive gifts, and during one such meeting, he overheard Kim discussing the appointment of a senior government official. , which gave the impression that she was interfering in state affairs. ,

Surprised by what he heard, Choi decides to secretly film their next encounter. In the recorded footage, Kim was heard expressing his desire to be “actively involved in inter-Korean affairs”, raising concerns about his potential influence on government decisions.

Kim Keon Hee: a high-profile first lady

Kim Keon-hee has never been a traditional first lady. Kim married Yoon in 2012.

Before marrying Yoon, she pursued a career as an art exhibition organizer and has always been known for her bold fashion choices. He has used his platform to promote Korean culture and advocate for animal rights, even condemning the dog meat trade.

Kim Keon Hee has faced frequent allegations of plagiarism on her academic articles. His PhD alma mater, Kookmin University, said that no misconduct was found in Kim’s dissertation or other publications after an eight-month investigation, but a group of professors disagreed and issued their own findings arguing otherwise.

The opposition has long accused Kim of being involved in stock price manipulation of Deutsche Motors, a BMW dealer in South Korea more than a decade ago – allegations the presidential office has repeatedly denied. Last month, Yun vetoed a bill passed by the opposition-controlled parliament that would have mandated a special prosecutor to investigate Kim’s alleged involvement.

The first lady is also hurt by her mother’s conviction and one-year jail sentence for falsifying financial documents in a land purchase, which was upheld by the Supreme Court in November.

In 2021, he publicly apologized for inflating his resume, an issue that came under scrutiny during Yun’s presidential campaign.

In 2023, the government canceled an expressway project in Seoul amid opposition allegations that its construction would benefit Kim’s family by increasing the value of their land.

Martial law in South Korea: what happened?

On Wednesday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol shocked the country by declaring martial law, but reversed his decision just hours later. The announcement was made in response to rising tensions in the National Assembly, where a growing opposition movement was challenging the President’s leadership.

The imposition of martial law meant that the military was given control of key government buildings, and officials immediately mobilized troops to maintain order.

Although the military presence in Seoul was relatively short-lived, the political effects have been far-reaching. Opposition parties immediately denounced the move as an abuse of power, an act of rebellion, and accused President Yoon of attempting to suppress dissent.

This led to widespread protests and calls for the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol, deepening the political crisis.

The political turmoil is apparently a manifestation of South Koreans’ long-standing dislike of Yeol’s conservative brand of politics. The Lady Dior pouch scandal involving South Korea’s first lady, Kim Keon-hee, did not help the Korean president’s decline in popularity, which dropped a significant 19% last month.