During a state visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with President Yoon Seok-yeol and his wife Kim Kun-hee, criticism was raised that Mrs. Kim was “playing the role of president” in the opposition by wearing a military uniform and visiting the local troops dispatched. However, it was confirmed that former President Moon Jae-in’s wife, Kim Jeong-sook, also wore the same military uniform when visiting the unit.
In an interview with KBC’s ‘Yeouido Invitational’ on the 16th, Park Ji-won, former head of the National Intelligence Service, who was reinstated in the Democratic Party of Korea, said, “I’ve never seen the first lady wearing a military uniform. “Mrs. Kim Kun-hee must properly carry out her activities as the first lady,” he insisted.
In response to the host’s question, “The military uniform is a bit fried, but can’t the first lady go to the overseas dispatched troops and encourage it?” It’s a word of concern that it’s good,” he replied. Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Nam-guk also sarcastically said, “I don’t know who the president is,” while sharing a photo of President Yoon and his wife visiting the ARK Unit on Facebook that day.
However, it was confirmed that First Lady Kim Jung-sook also appeared wearing the same military uniform as First Lady Kim Kun-hee when she visited the UAE ARK Unit with former President Moon in 2018. Even when she visited Baengnyeong Island in the West Sea on December 23, 2021, she appeared in a Marine Corps combat uniform.
On the other hand, the opposition fiercely criticized Mrs. Kim Kun-hee, who accompanied President Yoon on a tour of Southeast Asia in November of last year, taking a picture with US President Joe Biden arm in arm. However, Kim Jung-sook also received criticism from the passport as a ‘red flag’ following it was known that she had crossed arms with French President Emmanuel Macron in the past.
Reporter Hong Min-seong, Hankyung.com mshong@hankyung.com
