Will a Reception Room for First Lady Kim Keon-hee Be Established in Yongsan... Is the 'Abolition of the Second Secretariat' Being Reconsidered?

Yoon "The First Lady is Just Family" Pledged to Abolish the Second Office
But Mrs. Kim Seems to Expand Protocol Amid 'Fan Club Politics' Controversy
Opposition: "The Meeting Room Is Essentially the Second Office... Breaking the Pledge Deceives the Public"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Yoon Yoon-jin] The 5th-floor space of the Seoul Yongsan Government Complex, currently used as a temporary office by President Yoon Suk-yeol, is planned to be utilized as a reception room for First Lady Kim Keon-hee's official activities. This move appears to be a response to calls for staff support for the presidential spouse following controversies such as Kim's 'fan club politics.' However, some critics argue that this may signify the de facto abandonment of President Yoon's campaign pledge to abolish the 'Second Office for the Presidential Spouse.'

According to the Presidential Office, once renovations are completed by the end of this month, President Yoon will use the 2nd-floor office, and the 5th floor, currently serving as a temporary office, will be equipped with auxiliary offices and reception rooms. A Presidential Office official told the media on the 6th, "We think that (the 5th-floor office) might be used as a reception room where the First Lady could also use it."

However, the official clarified, "It is unrelated to a dedicated space for (the First Lady) or a (First Lady-exclusive) Second Office." The 5th floor will not be used as an exclusive space for Kim but can be utilized by her when visiting for official duties such as meeting foreign guests. The Presidential Office is also reportedly considering establishing a 'Spouse Team' to manage Kim's schedule and messages.

Earlier, during his presidential campaign, President Yoon pledged to abolish the 'Second Office for the First Lady,' which was responsible for protocol related to the presidential spouse, and he actually abolished it. The intention was to curb excessive protocol for the presidential spouse. In an interview with Dong-A Ilbo in December last year, President Yoon said, "I believe it is right to abolish the Second Office. It is not appropriate to institutionalize an extralegal status for the presidential spouse, who is merely family." Following the abolition of the Second Office, protocol for Kim was reportedly handled by the First Office, which assists the president.

However, as Kim's official activities have increased recently, the Presidential Office is believed to have concluded that at least minimal staff are necessary to handle protocol for the First Lady. The recent leak of internal photos of the Presidential Office through unofficial channels such as Kim's fan clubs, which sparked a 'security controversy,' also seems to have influenced this decision. As the fallout over security issues expanded, the Presidential Office announced on the 31st of last month that it was considering assigning staff to assist Kim within the office.

The opposition criticized this, arguing that President Yoon's pledge to abolish the 'Second Office for the Presidential Spouse' has effectively been discarded. On the 7th, Park Hong-geun, floor leader of the Democratic Party, said at a party strategy meeting at the National Assembly, "The Presidential Office is creating a Second Office but refuses to call it that, instead naming it a reception room. This is like calling a deer a horse (idiom meaning to misrepresent things)."

He added, "During the last presidential election, when Kim Keon-hee faced public backlash over fake credentials and stock manipulation allegations, she held a press conference pledging to focus solely on her role as a wife. President Yoon promised the public to abolish the Second Office. Less than a month after taking office, he is breaking his own pledge, deceiving the people."

On the other hand, some argue that since the presidential spouse also represents the nation in official diplomatic activities, appropriate protocol is necessary. Former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won wrote on Facebook on the 1st, "The First Lady's fashion reflects the nation's dignity. The First Lady has her duties. It is not right to criticize former First Lady Kim Jung-sook's fashion by citing budget issues, nor does Kim Keon-hee need to boast about buying her clothes with her own money." He advised President Yoon, "Can the First Lady appear shabby? Establish a Second Office to support the First Lady properly."

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