"Deputy Director of the Security Office Gifts Pet Clothes and Even Organizes Talent Show to Win Mrs. Kim's Favor"

President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife. Photo by Yonhap News

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Kim Seong-hoon, Deputy Director of the Presidential Security Service (acting Director of the Security Service), has been accused of instructing security personnel to carry out tasks unrelated to their duties in order to gain favor with First Lady Kim Geon-hee.

On the 13th, Yoon Geon-young, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, appeared on MBC Radio's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus" and stated, "The reason Deputy Director Kim came into the spotlight of President Yoon Seok-yeol and his wife was due to the passing of his father in August 2023," adding, "It is said that Deputy Director Kim took charge of the funeral arrangements at that time." He continued, "He reportedly even looked into the burial site, which helped him gain favor. Having earned trust in this way, he was also responsible for all the recently controversial golf-related schedules."

He said, "There have been various reports, to the point where one doubts their truth," and introduced some of them: "To win the favor of the First Lady's office, Deputy Director Kim had security officers purchase clothes for the pets raised at the official residence. There was even a report that they engraved agency logos on the pet clothes as gifts." He added, "During the President and First Lady's vacation, security personnel were excessively mobilized. They were ordered to install karaoke machines or buy fireworks for firework displays, among other personal tasks," and continued, "The most shocking report was that employees were made to perform a kind of talent show on occasions like the President and First Lady's birthdays."

Yoon Geon-young, Member of the Democratic Party of Korea. MBC Radio 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus'

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Representative Yoon said, "There were cases where tasks that security personnel should not have done were assigned to them by excluding them from the workforce through personnel transfers." He also added, "Honestly, I don't even want to believe it. I wonder if these reports about doing such things to gain favor with First Lady Kim Geon-hee and to get into the President's good graces are really true."

Finally, he revealed a text message received from a security service employee. The message stated, "Security personnel have endured harsh working conditions with loyalty to preserve at least some dignity for Mr. Yoon, bearing their professional sense of duty to get this far. However, Mr. Yoon gave instructions to use weapons to prevent his own arrest, causing immense disappointment that is hard to believe." The employee also appealed, "Not only the security personnel but also the police officers executing the arrest warrants are heads of families and proud sons and daughters of someone. Please distance yourselves from the hardline leadership of the security service that is currently blocking Mr. Yoon's eyes and ears, and listen to the cries of the people."

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