In an unexpected turn of events, a YouTube video capturing South Korea’s first lady receiving a Dior handbag has evolved into a significant political hurdle for the ruling People Power Party in the lead-up to April’s general election.
The footage, which went viral after being edited and uploaded by liberal news outlet Voice of Seoul on November 27, shows Korean-American pastor Choi Jae-young purchasing the handbag at a Christian Dior store. The invoice displayed in the video reveals the bag’s value to be 3 million won, raising suspicions of a potential violation of anti-graft legislation, which prohibits public officials and their spouses from accepting gifts valued at over 50,000 won ($37).
First lady Kim Keon Hee is briefly featured in the 86-minute video, wearing a casual T-shirt and engaging in a conversation with Choi at the headquarters of her company Covana Contents in southern Seoul. While the video does not explicitly show Kim accepting the gift, it was later confirmed through a statement from the presidential office and the ruling party that the bag is “being managed and stored as a property of the government.”
Choi, in a press conference held at the National Assembly on Monday, admitted to filming the footage with a spy cam in September of the previous year. He justified his actions by claiming that he sought to expose how Kim was allegedly abusing her power as the first lady.
The controversy surrounding the luxury bag footage has become a focal point ahead of the upcoming election, leading to divisions among ruling party lawmakers. Some argue for a public apology from Kim to regain voter support, while others remain critical of the use of a spy cam in the video. People Power Party Chair Han Dong-hoon, who rejected a request from the presidential office to step down, characterized the situation as a “planned setup using a spy cam” and suggested that the office could have handled the issue more effectively.
The unfolding political drama continues to impact the ruling party’s unity and poses challenges as the election draws nearer.
