Jang Jin-young "Kang Kyung-hwa's Husband, Is a 4,000-Pyeong Mansion Claustrophobic? How Hard Must It Be for Ordinary People"

Kang Kyung-hwa's Husband Lee Il-byeong, Controversy Over Trip to the U.S. Expands

Amid the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' recommendation to refrain from overseas travel due to the global spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), it has been reported that Kang Kyung-wha, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, sent her husband to the United States to buy a yacht.
The photo shows Minister Kang and her husband, Professor Lee Il-byeong, attending the appointment ceremony for Minister Kang Kyung-wha at the Blue House in 2017.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Jang Jinyoung, the head of the People Power Party's Seoul Dongjak-gap district committee, criticized the fact that Professor Ilbyung Lee, honorary professor at Yonsei University and husband of Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, traveled to the United States to purchase a yacht on the 4th, saying, "If they say it's hard even though they were given a luxury mansion, have they ever thought about how hard it must be for ordinary people?"

On that day, Jang opened his post on his Facebook by saying, "The Foreign Minister's official residence where Minister Kang's husband stays during their outings reportedly sits on a site of 4,000 pyeong (approx. 13,220 sqm) with a building area exceeding 400 pyeong (approx. 1,320 sqm)."

He criticized, "Even though such a luxury mansion was provided to uphold the dignity of the Foreign Minister, if they say it's frustrating and hard, have they ever thought about how difficult it is for ordinary people who live their daily lives like hamsters running on a wheel in 20 to 30 pyeong houses, or even 10 pyeong officetels?"

He continued, "Moreover, there are reportedly about 13 staff members who take care of the Foreign Minister's residence," and pointed out, "If the husband goes to the U.S. for leisure and catches COVID-19, the Foreign Minister, Foreign Ministry officials, and the 13 staff members working at the residence would be directly at risk."

Finally, he exclaimed, "To the Foreign Minister's family who go buy yachts saying they are struggling, I know you have no reason to think about the crayfish, crucian carp, and frogs who live truly hard lives, but can't you at least pretend to care?"

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha is entering the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Doryeom-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, after finishing an external schedule on the afternoon of the 5th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the same day, Jang posted another message on Facebook, criticizing Professor Lee by saying, "If your personal life is that precious, then return to being a private individual. We live in a world where even junior officials are afraid of being criticized and walk on eggshells."

He added, "Though shamelessness is a virtue and decency is a discarded legacy in this world, still, if a top-ranking minister, ranked fifth in power and the longest-serving minister, and their family travel abroad freely claiming their personal life is important regardless of what others say, isn't that worse than junior officials or ordinary citizens with no titles?"

Meanwhile, Professor Lee departed for the United States on the 3rd for the purpose of purchasing a yacht and traveling. Previously, he had publicly shared on his blog for months his plan to buy a yacht in the U.S. and visit the U.S. coasts and the Caribbean by yacht.

In response to criticism that the government advised refraining from overseas travel, Professor Lee said, "COVID-19 is not going to disappear in a day or two," and added, "You can't just stay at home all the time."

As the controversy grew, Minister Kang, his spouse, stated through the Foreign Ministry on the 4th, "We feel sorry regardless of the circumstances as the public is refraining from overseas travel and other external activities."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.