First Lady Kim Geon-hee's Second Diplomatic Stage... Only President Yoon's 'Joint Schedule' Planned

Due to Controversy Over June NATO Visit, Again "Why Go vs Diplomatic Protocol" Partisan Dispute

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] First Lady Kim Keon-hee, spouse of President Yoon Suk-yeol, is once again stepping onto the diplomatic stage as the First Lady. Kim will accompany President Yoon on visits to London, UK; New York, USA; and Toronto and Ottawa, Canada, participating in diplomatic schedules alongside the presidential couple.

On the morning of the 18th, Kim departed from Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, with President Yoon aboard Air Force One. She will first accompany the president during his schedule in London. The Blue House previously explained Kim’s role in accompanying President Yoon on this trip, stating, "From the UK’s perspective and from our perspective as those paying tribute, it is much more meaningful for the couple to show respect together, so we understand that she is accompanying him."

The British military, having deployed 56,000 troops during the Korean War?the second largest contingent after the United States?will be honored by President Yoon laying a wreath at the Korean War memorial. On the following day, the 19th, after attending the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey in London, the president will travel to New York, USA.

In the United States, Kim is scheduled to attend diplomatic events alongside the presidential couple, including a reception hosted by President Joe Biden and a meeting with Korean-American community members. The Blue House stated, "Other schedules for the First Lady have not yet been finalized." Previously, during the NATO summit held in Madrid, Spain, in June, Kim attended a dinner hosted by the King of Spain and a dinner with the Korean community in Spain.

However, controversy over Kim’s accompaniment on this trip appears to be just beginning. This follows issues raised during the Spain visit regarding her private civilian entourage and accessory controversies. The opposition party has criticized the trip, stating "there must be a clear purpose," while the ruling party defends it as a customary diplomatic role for the First Lady, leading to sharp exchanges between the two sides.

The Democratic Party insists there must be a clear purpose. Go Min-jung, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party, recently said in an interview, "I also wonder why she must go along," adding, "She is not just an ornament. There should be at least one meaningful activity, such as learning about welfare areas or comforting compatriots."

The People Power Party has counterattacked. Kim Byung-min, an emergency committee member of the People Power Party, responded, "If the president’s spouse is excessively drawn into political disputes, people will remember the controversies that arose during Kim Jung-sook’s overseas trips and how the Democratic Party responded at that time."

Meanwhile, after attending a reception hosted by King Charles III in London, President Yoon will travel to New York on the 20th to attend the United Nations General Assembly, and on the 23rd, he will hold a Korea-Canada summit with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Ottawa, Canada. Accordingly, the First Lady’s schedule may expand beyond what was initially announced.

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