Yoon Seok-yeol: "Let's Not Use the Title First Lady"... Yoon Gun-young: "The First Lady Is Not a Female Hong Gil-dong"

"Pointing Out Illegal Acts Met with Evasive and Excuse-Making Remarks"

Kim Geon-hee, spouse of Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential candidate. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Yoon Gun-young, a member of the Democratic Party and head of the Political Affairs Office of the party's presidential campaign committee, criticized Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, for stating that he would not use the title "First Lady," saying, "He wants to avoid the issue with a kind of trick and evasive remark when pointed out about illegal acts related to his spouse."

In an interview with MBC Radio's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus" on the 23rd, Rep. Yoon said, "If you cannot call the First Lady the First Lady, as if she were some woman named Hong Gil-dong, then what else could it be?"

Earlier, on the 22nd, as controversy continued over the false credentials of candidate Yoon's spouse, Kim Geon-hee, Yoon said, "The president's wife is just a family member of the president. It is not right to institutionalize a status outside the law for the president's wife. Let's not use the term First Lady. What First Lady?" and advocated for the abolition of the Blue House's Second Office.

In response, Rep. Yoon said, "He should bow his head to the people and ask for forgiveness, but I think deep down, he does not want to do that," adding, "The words Prosecutor Yoon Seok-yeol said during the past academic forgery case of Shin Jeong-ah and what Yoon Seok-yeol says now about the false credentials of a presidential candidate's spouse are completely opposite."

He also pointed out, "The abolition of the Second Office is, having been at the Blue House for about eight years, simply like covering one's eyes and pretending not to see," and said, "The Blue House organization itself is a support organization for the president and the First Lady. The Second Office is somewhat like a personal secretary, and saying you will abolish this personal secretary is just covering your eyes and pretending not to see."

He emphasized, "It is the law of conservation of mass. The total amount does not change. Saying you will abolish the Second Office makes no sense, and naturally, side effects will inevitably occur because someone must perform that role."

He questioned, "For example, when U.S. President Joe Biden visits Korea, doesn't First Lady Jill Biden come along? Who handles diplomacy with Jill Biden? It is the First Lady of the Republic of Korea," and asked, "Does it make sense to say there is no First Lady of Korea because of issues with credentials?"

Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, and former leader Lee Nak-yeon are exchanging greetings ahead of a luncheon meeting held on the 23rd at Dalgaebi Restaurant in Jung-gu. / Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group

Regarding the luncheon meeting between Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, and former Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon, Rep. Yoon said, "Many of our Democratic Party supporters had worried that former leader Lee Nak-yeon would not step forward, but this will be an opportunity to dispel such concerns," adding, "I understand that former leader Lee has consistently supported and expressed his intention to work with candidate Lee Jae-myung from the launch of the Democratic Party's campaign committee until now."

He continued, "Today, former leader Lee Nak-yeon is expected to announce his plan on how he will support candidate Lee," and added, "If we boast about these small details, the Democratic Party's presidential primary candidates are united as one body. They are forming a so-called one team to help candidate Lee Jae-myung."

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