Dior bag and martial law: The scandal that rocked South Korea’s presidency
A Cloud Blue Cannage Lambskin Lady Dior Pouch of Yeol's wife Kim Keon Hee had turned the wave against the President even before he could vaguely utter ‘North Korea’.
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 sent shockwaves across the nation, was swiftly reversed after only a few hours, but its political fallout has been far-reaching, with calls for impeachment intensifying. Yet, the president’s troubles run deeper: long before the martial law debacle and his tough stance on North Korea, his wife, Kim Keon Hee, had already found herself at the heart of a scandal involving a luxury Dior bag—a controversy that has only added fuel to the fire.
A Cloud Blue Cannage Lambskin Lady Dior Pouch of Yeol's wife Kim Keon Hee had turned the wave against the President even before he could vaguely utter ‘North Korea’.
Lady Dior Pouch Scandal of Kim Keon Hee
Known for her high-profile lifestyle and outspoken advocacy on cultural issues, Kim Keon Hee has found herself at the centre of controversy after being accused of accepting a $2,200 ( ₹1.86 lakh) Lady Dior Pouch bag from a Korean-American pastor in 2022.
The incident, which was captured on a hidden camera, sparked outrage across the nation, with critics accusing the South Korean President's wife, Kim Keon Hee, of using her position for personal gain.
The scandal, dubbed the "Dior Bag Scandal," thrust Kim Keon Hee into the spotlight.
In the footage, Kim was seen receiving the Lady Dior Pouch, a luxurious calfskin handbag, during a meeting with Pastor Choi Jae-young. While the video does not show Kim accepting the bag directly, the presence of the Dior shopping bag on the table is enough to raise suspicions. Under South Korea's anti-graft laws, public officials and their spouses are prohibited from accepting gifts worth more than $750 ( ₹63,000) in relation to their official duties.
The controversy has only intensified in the months following the video’s release.
The Voice of Seoul, a left-leaning YouTube channel, published the footage, claiming that 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 her, arguing that the video’s release was politically motivated ahead of the April elections.
In a news conference in January, Choi defended his decision to use a hidden camera to record his meetings with Kim, justifying it as necessary to expose her alleged misuse of her position as first lady.
Choi revealed that he had first approached Kim through a messaging app to offer advice on North Korean policy while Yoon was campaigning for president. He claimed that during a meeting in June 2022, Kim accepted a Chanel cosmetics set worth $1,300 ( ₹1.10 lakh).
Choi further asserted that he was only granted meetings with the First Lady when he mentioned he would bring expensive gifts, and during one such meeting, he overheard Kim discussing the appointment of a senior government official, giving the impression that she was meddling in state affairs.
Shocked by what he overheard, Choi decided to secretly film their next encounter. In the recorded footage, Kim was heard stating her desire to “actively get involved in inter-Korean matters,” further fueling concerns about her potential influence on governmental decisions.
Kim Keon Hee: A High-Profile First Lady
Kim Keon Hee has never been the traditional First Lady. Kim married Yoon in 2012.
Before marrying Yoon, she built a career as an art exhibition organiser and has always been known for her bold fashion choices. She has used her platform to promote Korean culture and has become an advocate for animal rights, even condemning the dog meat trade.
Kim Keon Hee has faced persistent accusations of plagiarism over her academic writings. Her PhD alma mater, Kookmin University, said it found no misconduct in Kim’s dissertation or other publications after an eight-month probe. However, a group of professors disagreed and released their own findings, stating otherwise.
The opposition has also long accused Kim of being involved in stock price manipulation of Deutsch Motors, a BMW dealer in South Korea, more than a decade ago – allegations the presidential office has repeatedly denied. Last month, Yoon 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 haunted by her mother’s conviction and one-year prison sentence for forging a financial document in a land purchase, a ruling upheld by the Supreme Court in November.
In 2021, she publicly apologised for inflating her resume, an issue that came under scrutiny during Yoon’s presidential campaign.
In 2023, the government scrapped an expressway project in Seoul amid opposition allegations that its construction would benefit Kim’s family by raising the price of land they own.
Martial Law in South Korea: What Happened?
On Wednesday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol shocked the nation by declaring martial law, only to reverse his decision a few hours later. The announcement was made in response to escalating 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 authorities quickly mobilised troops to maintain order.
Although the military presence in Seoul was relatively short-lived, the political ramifications have been far-reaching. Opposition parties immediately denounced the move as an abuse of power and an act of rebellion, accusing President Yoon of attempting to suppress dissent.
This led to widespread protests and calls for Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment, further intensifying the political crisis.
The political firestorm is evidently a manifestation of the long-standing aversion of South Koreans to Yeol's conservative brand of politics. South Korea's First Lady, Kim Keon Hee's The Lady Dior Pouch scandal did not help the plummeting popularity of the Korean President, which clocked a significant low of 19 per cent last month.
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First Published:4 Dec 2024, 10:39 AM IST
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