No Measures for Yoon's Campaign Headquarters Regarding the 'Kim Geon-hee Risk'

No Spouse-Related Response Team
False Resumes Emerge Daily

Unable to Find Response Method, Flustered
No Direct Contact with Involved Parties

Kim Byung-jun "Respect Spouse's Position
Not My Place to Speak"

Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, received and listened to an explanation of the "Legislative Petition Urging the Amendment of the Labor Standards Act" from Han Sang-gyun, former chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, who was holding a press conference outside the building while Yoon was attending a meeting with labor representatives at the Korean Federation of Trade Unions in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 15th. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-joo] The People Power Party's election campaign committee is floundering as risks related to presidential candidate Yoon Seok-yeol's wife, Kim Geon-hee, continue to emerge daily, with no sharp response strategy in sight. The explanations and statements from key figures vary in tone, and the response to newly raised suspicions is not agile. It remains unclear to what extent the campaign committee or the party should intervene in the spouse's issues, as she has not yet officially appeared. The allegation that she secured employment through false credentials is particularly concerning within the campaign, as it relates to the issue of "fairness," which is a core value for candidate Yoon.

Kim Jae-won, a senior member of the People Power Party and head of the Clean Election Strategy Headquarters of the campaign committee, said on the radio on the 15th that he believes immediate management is necessary regarding the candidate's spouse, who seems to be outside the management system. Although allegations that Kim submitted false resumes when applying to Suwon Women's University and then Anyang University have been "updated" daily, Kim only grasped the situation after the reports surfaced, failing to mount a strategic response. It appears there was no prior coordination between Kim and the campaign response team regarding media inquiries. Kim said, "(The spouse) is not engaged in official activities, so she is not included within the scope of the election campaign, which has resulted in a temporary blind spot."

The so-called "Spouse Forum," composed of spouses of current lawmakers and party district chiefs, has had no contact with Kim. There were expectations that Kim might engage in official activities through this forum, but this possibility currently seems low. Yang Geum-hee, head of the campaign's Women's Headquarters and a central women's committee member of the People Power Party, said, "I have never spoken with Kim," adding, "The forum is unrelated." Although there have been calls within the campaign to establish a dedicated organization for the spouse, opinions for and against this have yet to be reconciled. It is reported that the People Power Party has never created an official organization related to the spouse during previous elections. Former President Lee Myung-bak considered the spouse's verification complete during his Seoul mayoral campaign, and former President Park Geun-hye did not have a spouse.

Kim Jong-in, the General Election Committee Chairman of the People Power Party (left), is attending the 20th Presidential Election Veterans Policy Proposal and Keynote Lecture titled "Talking about Veterans" held at the National Assembly on the 15th, greeting Kwon Seong-dong, the Secretary-General. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

A People Power Party official said, "It is difficult to respond because most of the issues are personal and hard to inquire about directly, and if the candidate's spouse does not open up, it is hard to know," adding, "There is also concern that the spouse might feel uncomfortable if the party suddenly conducts verification." Kim Byung-joon, standing co-chairman of the campaign committee, also refrained from commenting on the radio that day, saying, "Ultimately, she is the candidate's spouse, but she has rights and a position as a spouse, so we have no choice but to respect that. I am not the one to speak on that matter."

However, the campaign committee is aware that it cannot simply let the situation worsen. Kim Jong-in, overall campaign chairman, told reporters after delivering a keynote speech and policy proposal on veterans affairs for the 20th presidential election, "I will personally review the verification (at the campaign level)," adding, "It is not a difficult task, so I think we can issue a statement within a day or two."

Meanwhile, on the same day, lawmakers from the Democratic Party raised new allegations that Kim submitted false award records not only to Suwon Women's University but also when applying to Anyang University in 2013. The resume presented by Representative Ahn and others included a claim of winning the "2004 Korea Animation Award," which they say is false. According to their confirmation with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Kim was not on the list of awardees, and the actual winning work belonged to a completely different organization. They also pointed out signs that Kim inflated her academic background and career on the Anyang University resume. The campaign committee stated that they are "preparing a statement" regarding this. The year 2013 was after Kim married candidate Yoon.

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