After the British Princess Kate's disappearance from the public eye triggered heated international discussions, the Korean media discovered that South Korea's "First Lady" Kim Gun-hee, who was once active in the spotlight, has not appeared in public for nearly four months. It is reported that his last public appearance was in mid-December last year, when he returned to South Korea from the Netherlands with her husband Yin Xiyue, who is the president of South Korea.
Korean version of "Kategate"?
The once active "First Lady" was absent from important events
Some media once said that compared with the more traditional and low-key South Korean "First Lady" in the past, Kim Jianxi hopes to get more media attention. It is reported that she has vigorously promoted the ban on dog meat in South Korea and has also talked with reporters and activists at events. In addition, because of her fashionable and diverse outfits, she is also called the "Fashionable First Lady" by the Korean media. Reports say that even people in the domestic fashion industry in South Korea say that the "First Lady"'s clothing is worthy of praise.
Since her husband was elected president, Kim Jianxi has been active in the media spotlight. The media said that since the Madrid Summit in June 2022, Jin Jianxi will appear by Yin Xiyue’s side every time he visits. However, Kim Jian-hee was absent from this year's "March 1st Movement" commemoration ceremony in South Korea this month. According to reports, her absence this time is "unprecedented" because every "First Lady" of South Korea has attended the commemorative ceremony since 1998. The report pointed out that Cheong Wa Dae has not yet given any explanation.
Some media said that this is the Korean version of "Kategate". Catherine Jellison, a history professor at Ohio University in the United States, said that if the "First Lady" does not show up for a long time, it will trigger a series of conspiracy theories. "If the (male) president's spouse does not appear in public for a long time without any reason, it may cause interference to the president's government work and support rate." Catherine explained that if the "first lady" does not show up for a long time, people will inevitably speculate that she may exist Health problems, marital relationship problems, or being involved in some kind of scandal, "generally speaking, the impact is not very good."
The congressional election is approaching.
Some analysts said that she was deliberately made invisible to protect her support.
Analysts believe that Kim Jianxi's "Dior" package scandal" and the upcoming congressional elections may be the reasons for its "disappearance." It is reported that in September 2022, Jin Jianxi accepted a Dior luxury bag worth about US$2,200 as a bribe from Korean-American Cui Zaiying (transliteration), and the entire process was secretly filmed by Cui Zaiying. The video was exposed in November 2023, which triggered a series of heated discussions and public opinion fermentation. It is understood that according to South Korean law, it is illegal for public officials and their spouses to accept gifts exceeding approximately US$750 in one time or more than US$2,200 in a year.
Many internal members of South Korea’s ruling party have expressed critical opinions on this matter. The opposition party called on the presidential office to provide an explanation for Kim Jianxi's alleged violation of South Korea's anti-corruption law, and demanded an apology from the president and his wife. However, Yin Xiyue did not apologize to the public for this, but responded in early February that this was because his wife was not "cold and ruthless" enough and failed to refuse the gift. According to reports, Yin Xiyue's support has declined due to the "Dior bag scandal" surrounding Kim Jianxi. In early February, Yin Xiyue's approval rating fell below 30% for the first time in nine months.
"Kim Jianxi will probably be absent from important events due to the upcoming Korean parliamentary election." Sojin Lim, a senior lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire in the UK who focuses on Korean issues, believes that Kim Jianxi is easy to cause controversy. "Political parties can During a major election, the first lady who is prone to criticism will not appear for the time being." In fact, in addition to the "Dior bag scandal", Kim Jianxi has also been exposed to scandals such as plagiarism of papers, falsification of resumes, and stock manipulation.
It is reported that South Korea will hold a congressional election on April 10, which will determine the dominance of the Korean Congress in the next four years and will also affect the pattern of the next South Korean presidential election. According to a poll on the 11th of this month, the ruling National Power Party and the largest opposition Democratic Party have similar support rates and are evenly matched. According to reports, Cheong Wa Dae may intend to keep Kim Jian Hee away from the spotlight to ease public negative emotions.According to data from the polling agency Gallup, as of the first week of March, Yin Xiyue's approval rate has rebounded from early February, reaching 39% for two consecutive weeks. This number has set a record since December 2022. .
Red Star News reporter Li Jinrui, editor of The Paper, Xinhua News Agency
editor Pan Li, editor-in-chief Feng Lingling
