By South China Morning Post | Created at 2026-06-14 06:06:56 | Updated at 2026-06-14 14:44:32
8 hours ago
Kim Hea-kyung maintains a low profile approach and focuses on welfare, contrasting with her predecessor’s scandal-hit tenure
Published: 1:57pm, 14 Jun 2026
South Korean first lady Kim Hea-kyung remains largely out of the spotlight one year into President
Lee Jae Myung’s administration, adopting a low-key public role that contrasts sharply with the high-profile approach of her predecessor, Kim Keon-hee.
Kim Hea-kyung has limited her public appearances and stayed away from political issues – a strategy political observers describe as prudent, given that presidential spouses, despite holding no official constitutional role, can shape public perceptions and affect a president’s political standing.
“The country has witnessed the so-called first lady risk associated with former first lady Kim Keon-hee,” an analyst said on condition of anonymity. “Against that backdrop, the incumbent first lady’s reserved role appears appropriate and consistent with her role of supporting the president.”
Kim Keon-hee was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted on charges including stock price manipulation involving Deutsch Motors and accepting money and valuables linked to the Unification Church, a religious group.
Her husband, former president Yoon Suk-yeol, is currently serving a prison sentence over his illegal martial law declaration in December 2024.
Kim Hea-kyung has primarily accompanied Lee at domestic events and on diplomatic visits abroad. When appearing on her own, the first lady has focused on a narrow range of activities, particularly in non-political areas such as welfare, volunteer work and charitable causes.
