During an exclusive interview with the media, south Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol defended his wife, First Lady Kim Geon Hee, amid continued scrutiny over her involvement in various controversies.
When asked how he would address the issues surrounding Kim, Yoon responded by referencing the controversies faced by the spouses of previous administrations. He said, “The first lady of the previous administration also faced controversy,” alluding to the spouse of former President Moon Jae In.
Newsweek published the full transcript of its exclusive interview with Yoon on Friday. The interview, which took place on October 16 in Seoul, lasted approximately 70 minutes. During the conversation, the reporter questioned Yoon about Kim Geon Hee’s ongoing controversies, asking, “Kim has been embroiled in various controversies. How do you plan to address these issues, and how do you think they will affect the ongoing reforms?”
Rather than addressing the specifics of the allegations or disputing any individual claims, Yoon highlighted the controversies faced by previous first ladies, referring to them as a way to frame his response.
He stated, “The first lady of the previous administration was also embroiled in controversies,” and elaborated, “Former President Moon Jae In’s wife was criticized for using a presidential plane during a trip to the Taj Mahal, and former President Roh Moo Hyun’s wife faced accusations of bribery.”
Referring to the controversies surrounding his own wife, he emphasized, “The controversies surrounding my wife have been exaggerated.”
He stated, “It is also true that the opposition’s excessive politicization has inflated the controversy surrounding my wife.”
Regarding ongoing investigations, he added, “A broad investigation into my wife has been ongoing since the previous administration, but she has not been indicted.” He explained that special prosecutors are appointed only when credible allegations of serious misconduct or loss of impartiality arise, asserting that the current situation does not meet those criteria.
In previous public addresses and press conferences, Yoon’s remarks defending Kim Geon Hee were broadly consistent with his statements during the Newsweek interview. However, when asked how the allegations against his wife might affect the government’s reform efforts, Yoon did not provide a direct response.
In addition to discussing his wife, Yoon addressed two other key issues facing South Korea: the country’s declining birthrate and national security concerns.
Regarding South Korea’s low birthrate, Yoon stated, “We need to create an environment where marriage and childbearing do not hinder career advancement or promotions in the workplace to address both issues simultaneously.”
Turning to security concerns, particularly regarding North Korea, Yoon remarked, “If North Korean leader Kim Jong Un were to decide to carry out a nuclear attack on South Korea, it would be an extremely irrational act.” He added, “If such a nuclear strike were to occur, there would be an immediate nuclear retaliation based on the South Korea-U.S. nuclear security alliance.”
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