How a Dior handbag shook up South Korean politics

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is fighting for his political life after his attempt to break an impasse in parliament by briefly imposing martial law backfired. Last month’s decision was part of a series of blunders that has eroded public support and led to his impeachment.

Another revelation that shifted public sentiment against Yoon’s government was a luxury Dior handbag given to first lady Kim Keon-hee under questionable circumstances.

Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks at the presidential residence on December 14.Credit: nna\advidler

While Kim received the handbag in 2022, the gift only came to light in November 2023 – and then escalated into a political firestorm in early 2024.

Prosecutors later cleared Kim of any criminal charge, although opposition parties have said the handbag was a bribe and called for an independent probe. Yoon and his wife have denied wrongdoing and said the gift was part of a “manoeuvre” to discredit them.

What was the uproar over the Dior bag about?

A video reportedly shot by a pastor, Choi Jae-young, who has sought a softening of the president’s tough stance toward North Korea, shows the purchase of a Dior handbag for 3 million won ($3630 at the time).

Using a camera concealed on a watch, Choi then walks into what appears to be the office of a planning firm run by Kim and presents her with a shopping bag that purportedly contains the Dior clutch.

He passes it to her, and Kim is recorded saying: “Why do you keep bringing these?” She then tells him not to do so and adds “never buy something expensive like this”.

The video was shown about a year later on a left-leaning political website that often presents views opposed to Yoon’s policies.

The Dior handbag given to Yoon Suk Yeol’s wife, Kim Keon-hee, in 2022.

What was the fallout?

The incident revived memories of past “pay-to-play” scandals where people used their access to power for personal gain. It has also stirred a debate over whether Kim brought the unwelcome publicity upon herself, or is being targeted for raising the profile of the position of South Korean first lady.

In July 2024, prosecutors questioned Kim for about 12 hours about the incident; afterward, Kim’s lawyer told Yonhap News she had responded in a “sincere manner and told the truth”.

Kim Keon-hee in 2023.Credit: Getty Images

Prosecutors eventually found there was no evidence that favours were offered in return for the bag. Yoon said in an interview that the Dior bag controversy stemmed from his wife not being able to cut ties with the pastor, adding: “It will be important to draw a clearer line to ensure that such incidents do not happen again.”

But public outrage over the Dior handbag never really faded, and Yoon’s political opponents used it to attack the president for much of 2024. And then came Yoon’s surprise December 3 decision to impose martial law for the first time since South Korea achieved full democracy nearly 40 years ago.

He rescinded the decree about six hours after it was issued in the face of a unanimous rejection by a vote in parliament.

The imposition of military control to key aspects of the state led to a movement in the legislative body seeking his impeachment for suspected violations of the constitution. Protesters have also taken to the streets, calling for Yoon to resign.

What other controversies have Yoon and Kim faced?

When Yoon was running for president in 2021, Kim apologised for inflating her academic credentials when applying for a professorship.

The education ministry investigated and found she had falsely claimed to have earned a master’s degree in business administration at the prestigious Seoul National University, national broadcaster KBS reported.

The main opposition Democratic Party has also accused Kim of stock manipulation in 2010 and 2011, something Kim and the presidential office have denied by saying the charges are politically motivated. The opposition also alleges that Yoon and his wife conducted illegal election interference, which the president and his wife have also denied.

Has this kind of thing happened before?

The South Korean political landscape is littered with relatives of past presidents, lawmakers and ministers who were either jailed, investigated or accused of graft. Former president Roh Moo-hyun, who boasted his 2003-08 administration was South Korea’s cleanest, took his own life more than a year after he left office.

His wife was under investigation at the time for allegedly receiving money to pay family debts from a businessman who had been charged with tax evasion and insider trading.

Lee Myung-bak, who became president after Roh, was convicted of corruption after leaving office. The case stemmed from a probe of his brother’s auto-parts company, which prosecutors alleged Lee used as a way to enrich himself.

Bloomberg

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