President Yoon Suk Yeol discussed upcoming state policies for the new year during an interview with broadcaster KBS on Wednesday. In the prerecorded talk show, Yoon provided details on various state matters, including foreign relations, national security, economy, and social and political issues. However, the public’s attention was particularly drawn to the controversy surrounding allegations that his wife, first lady Kim Keon Hee, received a Christian Dior luxury bag from a Korean American pastor in 2022.

There was widespread anticipation that Yoon would address the scandal comprehensively and offer a sincere apology, along with specific measures to prevent such incidents from happening again. However, Yoon faced criticism for seemingly attempting to justify his wife’s actions. He said, “It was somewhat regrettable that my wife couldn’t cold-heartedly refuse the gift.” Additionally, he mentioned that the individual involved had previously approached his wife, leveraging his relationship with her late fathe
r, who passed away when she was in middle school.

“I think it was difficult (for my wife) to refuse the present,” he said. Yoon described the incident as a political scheme orchestrated by a leftist pastor who used a hidden camera. “The revelation emerged one year later, just before the general elections,” Yoon asserted. He provided his explanation approximately 70 days after the video footage showing Kim receiving the bag was initially made public, prompting criticism of its seemingly delayed timing.

Yoon pledged to appoint a special supervisor to oversee the activities of presidential relatives and establish an office specifically dedicated to the first lady. He vowed to exhibit “clear and resolute” conduct in the future, learning from the recent case. However, it remains uncertain whether Yoon’s explanation will alleviate the increasing public criticism. The recent incident appears to have been a premeditated scheme orchestrated by a liberal pastor in collaboration with a leftist YouTuber, known as “Voic
e of Seoul.”

Despite this, Kim cannot evade criticism for her lack of awareness as an important public figure. Her comments regarding potential involvement in state affairs, including inter-Korean relations, were highly inappropriate. Additionally, the presidential office deserves condemnation for remaining silent on Kim’s misconduct and dismissing it as a “hidden camera plot” since late November last year when the scandal erupted.

Despite facing increasing criticism for the lack of effective communication with the media, Yoon opted for a 90-minute prerecorded broadcast instead of the traditional press conference, which would have covered most domestic and foreign media outlets. Despite Yoon’s seemingly candid explanation, it failed to dispel the suspicions and concerns prevalent among the public. Yoon should have offered sincere apologies to address the negative and even hostile public sentiment instead of attempting to defend his wife. Furthermore, Yoon neglected to provide details on the whereabouts of t
he pouch and how to handle similar situations in the future.

Yoon missed a valuable opportunity to fully address the public’s lingering suspicions during the interview regarding his spouse’s issue after a prolonged period of silence. Unfortunately, he did not provide comprehensive explanations, ultimately failing to convince the people in his favor.

Fresh from the prerecording, Yoon showed news anchor Park Jang-beom a plate inscribed with the phrase “The buck stops here.” The plate was a gift from U.S. President Joe Biden during Yoon’s visit to the U.S. It was interpreted as a demonstration of Yoon’s commitment to take full responsibility for state affairs as the head of state, including addressing the dispute involving his wife.

Despite Yoon’s determination and seemingly candid manner of speaking, he failed to make genuine efforts to win the public’s trust during the recent broadcast by neglecting to offer a sincere apology for the luxury bag scandal. It appears that instead of taking full responsibility,
he ended up passing the buck.

Source: Yonhap News Agency