Why a Dior handbag caused such a stir in South Korean politics

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is fighting for his political life after his attempt to break an impasse in parliament by briefly imposing martial law backfired. The incident was part of a series of blunders that has eroded public support and could lead to his impeachment.

One of the events that shifted public sentiment against his government was a luxury Dior handbag given to first lady Kim Keon Hee under questionable circumstances. While that incident happened in 2022, it only came to light in November 2023 – and then escalated into a political firestorm in early 2024.

Prosecutors later cleared Ms Kim of any criminal charge, although opposition parties have said the bag was a bribe and called for an independent probe. Mr Yoon and the first lady have denied any wrongdoing and said the gift was part of a “maneuver” to discredit them.

What was the uproar over the Dior bag about?

A video reportedly shot by pastor Choi Jae-young, who has sought a softening of the president’s tough stance toward North Korea, shows the purchase of a Dior handbag for 3 million won (S$2,840).

Using a camera concealed on a watch, Mr Choi then walks into what appears to be the office of a planning firm run by Ms Kim and presents her with a shopping bag that purportedly contains the Dior clutch. He passes it to her, with Ms Kim being recorded as saying: “Why do you keep bringing these?” then telling him not to do so and adding “never buy something expensive like this”.

The video was shown about a year later on a left-leaning political site that often presents views opposed to Mr Yoon’s policies. 

What was the fallout?

The incident revived memories of past “pay-to-play” scandals where people used their access to power for personal gain. It has also stirred a debate over whether Ms Kim brought the unwelcome publicity upon herself, or is being targeted for raising the profile of the South Korean first lady. 

In July 2024, prosecutors questioned Ms Kim for about 12 hours about the incident. Afterward, Ms Kim’s lawyer told Yonhap News Agency she had responded in a “sincere manner and told the truth”. Prosecutors eventually found there was no evidence favours were offered in return for the bag.

Mr Yoon said in an interview that the Dior bag controversy stemmed from his wife not being able to cut ties with the pastor, adding: “It will be important to draw a clearer line to ensure that such incidents do not happen again”.

But public outrage over the Dior bag incident never really faded, and Mr Yoon’s political opponents used it to attack the president for much of 2024. And then came Mr Yoon’s surprise Dec 3 decision to impose martial law for the first time since South Korea achieved full democracy nearly 40 years ago. 

He rescinded the decree about six hours after it was issued in the face of a unanimous rejection by a vote in Parliament. The imposition of military control to key aspects of the state led to a movement in the legislative body seeking his impeachment for suspected violations of the constitution. Protesters have also taken to the streets, calling for Mr Yoon to resign.

What other controversies have Yoon and Kim faced?

When Mr Yoon was running for president, Ms Kim apologised in 2021 for inflating her academic credentials when applying for a professorship.

The education ministry investigated and found she had falsely claimed to have earned a master’s degree in business administration at the prestigious Seoul National University, national broadcaster KBS reported.

The main opposition Democratic Party has also accused Ms Kim of stock manipulation in 2010 and 2011, something Ms Kim and the presidential office have denied, saying the charges are politically motivated. The opposition also alleges that Mr Yoon and his wife conducted illegal election interference, which the president and his wife have denied. 

Has this kind of thing happened before?

The South Korean political landscape is littered with relatives of past presidents, lawmakers and ministers who were either jailed, investigated or accused of graft.

Former President Roh Moo-hyun, who boasted his 2003 to 2008 administration was South Korea’s cleanest, killed himself after he left office.

His wife was under investigation at the time for allegedly receiving money to pay family debts from a businessman who had been charged with tax evasion and insider trading.

Lee Myung-bak, who became president after Mr Roh, was convicted of corruption after leaving office. The case stemmed from a probe of his brother’s auto-parts company, which prosecutors alleged Lee used as a way to enrich himself. BLOOMBERG