It seems the nation is engulfed in a relentless maelstrom. Unseemly rumors and speculations surrounding Kim Keon-hee, the wife of President Yoon Suk Yeol, continue to boil at a level in which even state governance is disrupted. Yet, the first lady shows no sign of curbing her behavior.
Nor does Yoon exhibit anything but single-hearted dedication to protecting her. Yoon’s devotion defies his signature motto of “common sense and fairness” as the nation’s top prosecutor. It has eroded his ability to lead, causing rifts with the ruling party, spoiling the already compromised integrity of the prosecution and driving his administration into a labyrinth of crises.
This state of chaos is unthinkable, given the hefty tasks on the administration’s table. The escalating tensions with North Korea, the worsening health care crisis arising from a hasty plan to increase the number of medical students, the decline of the middle class and economic polarization -- these are just some of the urgent issues facing the nation. However, the so-called “Kim Keon-hee risks” exacerbate political antagonism, hampering cooperation with the opposition and normal governance procedures.
The disorder began before Yoon’s election. A rich entrepreneur running an art exhibition agency, Kim was set to be an atypical first lady. But that was not the reason she caused a stir.
It was her past. Rampant rumors had her working for a luxury nightclub liaising with celebrities, inflating her resume, comm.