This article contains a reference to suicide.
In South Korea, first lady Kim Keon Hee has found herself again at the centre of a political scandal, this time over allegations involving her receiving a luxury handbag.
Experts say that the timing of the scandal — footage emerged in late November — could not be worse.
It comes just months before a crucial election where President Yoon Suk Yeol and the ruling People Power Party (PPP) hope to win back a majority in parliament to solidify the conservative government's hold on power.
What is the Dior bag scandal about?
In late November, a video surfaced showing Korean American pastor Choi Jae-young giving a cloud blue Lady Dior puch to South Korean first lady Kim.
While the video does not show her accepting the bag, a Dior shopping bag worth three million won ($3,400) can be seen on a nearby coffee table.
Kim can be heard in the video saying: "Why do you keep bringing these? Please, you don't need to do this."
Choi claims that the exchange took place in Kim's private office at her art exhibition company in September 2022, several months into Yoon's administration.
He secretly filmed their meeting using a camera concealed within his wristwatch.
More than a year later, the footage was released by Voice of Seoul, a left-leaning YouTube channel known for its critical stance against Yoon's administration.
Choi revealed to news agency Reuters that his initial intention was to raise concerns about Yoon's hardline policies on North Korea, and he believed that offering pricey gifts was the way to secure a meeting with the first lady.
Under South Korea's anti-graft law, public officials and their spouses are prohibited from accepting gifts exceeding one million won ($1,160) in connection with their official duties.
The scandal has threatened to fracture Yoon's PPP, with some members urging the president and his wife to apologise and admit that receiving the purse was, at least, inappropriate, in the hope of putting the matter to rest.
In an interview with broadcaster KBS, Yoon stopped short of apologising or addressing the legal implications and said the fact the footage, filmed in September 2022 but released in November 2023, had been revealed ahead of an election should be seen as "a political manoeuvre".
There have been calls for Yoon Suk Yeol and Kim Keon Hee to apologise. Source: AAP / Yonhap/EPA
Close scrutiny on political leaders and their families
Leonid Petrov, an expert in Korean studies at the Australian National University, said that it is not the first scandal surrounding the first lady of South Korea.
During her husband's presidential campaign, she had to apologise for allegedly inflating her academic and career achievements and credentials.
Additionally, she has been accused of stock manipulation, which led the opposition-controlled legislature to pass a special bill requiring an investigation. However, her husband vetoed the bill.
"It is known that corruption has historically been rampant in South Korea," Petrov said.
"In democratic South Korea, they always closely monitor not only the actions of the leaders but also their family members.
"Kim's past scandals were sort of hushed up, but the opposition, as well as people who distrust the personality and policies of the current president, are trying to influence public opinion prior to the important elections," he said.
'Koreans are not ready to see women in key roles'
When talking about recent scandal surrounding Kim, Petrov said it's important to take into account "a significant disparity between those in power and the general public".
"On one hand, there is a tendency to submit to authority, while on the other hand, ordinary people tend to kind of hold a pent-up frustration, and when those in power make mistakes, they are met with passionate criticism."
He said that historically, South Korean presidents have either ended up in prison or taken their lives as a result of corruption investigations.
He also noted a general perception of women in power in South Korea.
"Women were never expected to act as leaders in business or politics.
"In 2013, the daughter of a former Korean leader who essentially built the Korean economy from ruins became an elected president. But before the end of her presidency, she was impeached and ended up in prison under investigation for corruption and negligence."
According to Petrov, Koreans are not ready to see women in main positions, and if they are elected, their behaviour will be monitored even more closely.
The upcoming election is not presidential, so why is it so crucial?
The upcoming election on 10 April will decide the number of members of the National Assembly who will support Yoon's government for the remaining two years.
South Korea holds separate presidential and parliamentary elections.
According to an Australian Institute of International Affairs report, the April election is critical for Yoon Suk Yeol, occurring just before the halfway point of his five-year term.
With the current approval rating sitting at around 30 per cent, the outcome, according to them, "does not look good".
"Korea is a presidential republic, and the president can determine his own policies, but without the support of parliament, his initiatives will largely be blocked," Petrov explained.
He said that if the strength of the conservative bloc were to be undermined, they would likely need to seek some form of compromise with the opposition.
Furthermore, if the authority of the president were undermined, it could potentially lead to changes in parliament, which might alter the overall dynamics in Northeast Asia.
Yoon Suk Yeol with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2023. Source: AAP / Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA
He said that decisions such as whether South Korea would provide weapons to Ukraine or engage in projects with Japan to counter China and Russia depend on who holds the power in the country.
Following the 'Dior bag scandal', a weekly poll by research company Gallup Korea showed that Yoon's approval ratings had fallen to 29 per cent, the lowest in nine months.
Respondents cited a lack of communication, the Dior bag scandal, and the economy among the reasons for their disapproval.
"So it turns out, a luxury handbag could completely change the landscape of geopolitical manoeuvring in Northeast Asia for years to come," Petrov said.
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