South Korea’s President and Ruling Party Chief to Confront First Lady’s Controversies in Upcoming Meeting

Seoul: President Yoon Suk Yeol and Han Dong-hoon, the head of South Korea's ruling People Power Party (PPP), are set to hold a critical meeting next Monday at the presidential office to address several urgent issues, including the controversies surrounding first lady Kim Keon Hee. According to Yonhap News Agency, the upcoming meeting will also see the attendance of Yoon's chief of staff, Chung Jin-suk. The discussions are expected to cover a wide range of topics, with no restrictions on the agenda. This meeting occurs as the PPP, under Yoon's leadership, faces declining approval ratings midway through his five-year term. The focus will likely be on the need for political and administrative reforms and issues impacting the livelihoods of the people. The urgency of the meeting is compounded by the political challenges posed by the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), which has intensified its critique of President Yoon, with some members even suggesting the possibility of impeachment. These criticisms stem from various allegations against the first lady, including her involvement in a stock manipulation scheme and unethical interventions in political processes. Despite the controversies, the prosecution recently decided not to indict the first lady over her alleged involvement in the stock manipulation case, which spanned from 2009 to 2012. This decision followed an extensive investigation that lasted over four and a half years. The DP responded by proposing a bill for a special counsel probe into the allegations, marking their third attempt to initiate such an inquiry after previous efforts were thwarted by presidential vetoes. Han has also voiced concerns within the PPP about the influence exerted by those close to the first lady, advocating for a reshuffle at the presidential office to mitigate this perceived interference in state affairs.