South Korea president apologises for controversies surrounding wife but says she was demonised

South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol has apologised for controversies surrounding his wife, Kim Keon-hee, which included allegations of her accepting a luxury Dior handbag and involvement in stock manipulation.

Mr Yoon acknowledged his wife’s actions could have been better but argued that her portrayal was overly “demonised” and that some claims were “exaggerated”. Addressing the allegations involving himself and his wife, the South Korean president publicly stated on Thursday that “it’s all my fault”.

However, he voiced his opposition to the opposition parties’ push for a special counsel to investigate the various allegations against the first lady, saying, “that’s not a legal procedure, but political propaganda”.

He told reporters following a televised address on Thursday that his opposition to the special counsel bill “is absolutely not motivated by love for my wife or a desire to defend her”, adding that a “special counsel is an attempt to play politics under the guise of the law”.

He said that the past investigations with hundreds of investigators yielded no indictments and that “the very act of appointing a special counsel to which the president and the ruling party are opposed suggests you can make laws to do anything at all, an idea that’s fundamentally contrary to the constitution”.

He added: “The idea of setting up a big investigative team [under a special counsel] yet again [for a case that has already been investigated] is problematic as well.”

Prior to making these comments, he also addressed the nation from his presidential office in Yongsan in which he apologised to the Korean people over allegations surrounding him and his wife. “I would like to say I’m sorry and offer a heartfelt apology to the Korean people,” he said.

“From the perspective of the Korean people, I’m sure I have many shortcomings. But I’ve always sincerely sought to stand with the people,” Mr Yoon said.

“Despite my efforts, I have given people cause to worry,” the president acknowledged.

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“The initiatives I have launched for the livelihood of the nation, and for the future of the Republic of Korea, have sometimes caused inconveniences for the people of Korea. The behaviour of people close to me has also aroused concern,” he said.

“I don’t think this is an occasion for me, as president, to make excuses. This is all my fault – I alone am to blame.”

Mr Yoon issued a public apology after his approval rating dropped below 20 per cent, following a series of scandals involving his wife and the release of phone call recordings suggesting he interfered in the ruling party’s nomination process.

In July this year, South Korea’s first lady was questioned for the first time by prosecutors for around 12 hours over allegations that she accepted a luxury Dior handbag, which exceeded the legal gift value limit for government officials. A 2022 spy camera video showed her receiving the bag from a pastor, fueling political controversy and causing Mr Yoon’s approval rating to plummet below 30 per cent.

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Earlier this year in February, in an interview with broadcaster KBS, the president addressed the controversy for the first time. “The video [was made public] at a time when the general election is drawing near, a year after the issue happened, so we can see this as a political manoeuvre,” he said.

“The fact that she was unable to cold-heartedly reject him was the problem, if one can call it a problem, and it is a little regrettable.

“However, it’s not important whether to call it a political manoeuvre or not.

“What’s important is to set clearer boundaries with others to prevent something like this from happening in the future.

“It is very difficult for the president or the president’s wife to treat anyone harshly,” he was quoted as saying by Korea JoongAng Daily.