Kim Eo-jun on Kim Jung-sook's Clothing Cost Controversy: "Is It Because They Are Soon-to-Retire Power and Easy Targets?"

청 "Regret over indiscriminate allegations on special activity funds and Kim Jung-sook's clothing expenses"

Broadcaster Kim Eo-jun. Photo by TBS, screenshot from 'Kim Eo-jun's News Factory'.

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Amid controversy over the clothing expenses and protocol costs of First Lady Kim Jung-sook, wife of President Moon Jae-in, broadcaster Kim Eo-jun pointed out on the 31st that "the side raising suspicions must provide evidence" regarding the source of the First Lady's clothing expenses.

On the same day, through his TBS radio program 'Kim Eo-jun's News Factory,' Kim said, "Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, claimed yesterday that 'if there is a case where the First Lady spent special activity funds on clothes, she should return all the clothes.' Then, if no such case is found, what will he return himself?"

Kim also criticized, "If I were to claim that 'if there is a case where President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol purchased clothes for his wife with 14.7 billion won of special activity funds during his time as Prosecutor General, all the clothes should be returned,' would the media rush to Kim Geon-hee, the wife of President-elect Yoon, to demand proof that she did not buy clothes with special activity funds?" and added, "No one would do that." He continued, "Instead, they would ask me to provide circumstantial evidence and proof."

Kim said, "Why is it the other way around for the First Lady? Is it because the President-elect is intimidating, but the soon-to-be outgoing power is easy to target? Is that it?" and called it "Kim Eo-jun's grievance."

President Moon Jae-in and First Lady Kim Jung-sook are delivering New Year's greetings via video at the Blue House on January 31st, Lunar New Year. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, on the 30th, Lee Jun-seok commented on his Facebook regarding the controversy over the First Lady's protocol expenses, saying, "Since the Moon Jae-in administration was sensitive to the special activity funds of the Park Geun-hye government, I hope no counterexamples emerge."

He pointed out, "What the Blue House needs to know is that the claim that 'everything was paid out of pocket' can be broken by a single counterexample," and added, "If cases of special activity fund expenditures emerge, all clothing purchase details should be disclosed, and all clothes should be returned."

Meanwhile, as the controversy grew, the Blue House stated on the same day, "We once again express regret over the indiscriminate raising of suspicions not only about the Blue House's special activity funds at the end of the term but also about the First Lady's clothing and accessories."

Park Soo-hyun, the Blue House Chief of Public Communication, said in a briefing regarding the recent controversy over undisclosed special activity funds and the First Lady's clothing expenses, "The Blue House's special activity funds are audited annually by the Board of Audit and Inspection. The special activity fund settlement audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection was first introduced and implemented during the Moon Jae-in administration," adding, "The Moon Jae-in administration has never received a single criticism from the Board of Audit and Inspection regarding the execution of the Blue House's special activity funds."

He continued, "The Blue House does not disclose the detailed breakdown of special activity funds in accordance with the government's common policy," and said, "If the Blue House's special activity funds were disclosed, there is information that could harm national security and national interests and cause difficulties in state administration, so the Blue House had no choice but to seek a higher-level review decision."

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