Criticism of Tak Hyun-min over "Kim Yeosa Photo for Instagram"... Park Dae-chul: "This is National Dignity"

Dispute Between Ruling and Opposition Parties Over Photos of Mrs. Kim's Saudi Arabia Visit

The ruling and opposition parties are engaged in a war of nerves over the photo of First Lady Kim Geon-hee stroking an Arabian horse during President Yoon Suk-yeol's state visit to Saudi Arabia.

On the 21st (local time), the Presidential Office released photos of President Yoon and the First Lady visiting the Diriyah historic site near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, looking at and stroking an Arabian horse.

On the 21st (local time), First Lady Kim Keon-hee visited the Diriyah historic site near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, together with President Yoon Suk-yeol, and is seen petting an Arabian horse introduced locally.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Regarding this, former protocol secretary of the Moon Jae-in administration, Tak Hyun-min, appeared on MBC Radio's 'Shin Jang-sik's News High Kick' on the 24th. When the host pointed out, "There are too many photos of the First Lady, and I don't really understand why they are released. There are even photos of her talking to the horse," Tak responded, "Usually, such photos are not posted even if taken," adding, "They should be for Instagram or just for the First Lady's personal collection." He further said, "Posting them as official photos with the Presidential Office or government agency's intent is why people like the host get angry."

When the host repeatedly said, "I don't understand," Tak replied, "You have to understand this. It shows that the tour is centered around the First Lady," and added, "This is what they received. The previous administration didn't get this, right? They are showing this."

In response to such criticism, on the 25th, Park Dae-chul, a member of the People Power Party, posted on Facebook, calling it "baseless disparagement."

Park explained, "I want to set the record straight. The horse in the photo was first encouraged to be touched by the First Lady by the Saudi side, and the photo was taken by the Saudi official photographer." He said the horse is a descendant of the horse ridden by the nation's founder, Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and is nationally managed. He added, "The Saudi side brought the horse to introduce the nation's history and invited her to touch it while explaining its significance. How can anyone criticize her for stroking the horse when it was first encouraged by the Saudi side?"

Finally, Park concluded, "Allowing the spouse of the counterpart leader to accompany the two heads of state and even touch a historic horse was a special consideration by the Saudi side," and said, "This is what 'national dignity' is all about."

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