South Korea’s first lady Kim Keon-hee sparks memes amid martial law controversy

Public suspicion about Kim Keon-hee’s influence on Yoon has grown, with many seeing the martial law decree as a desperate effort to shield her from scrutiny

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South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee arrive for a celebration to mark the 76th anniversary of Korea Armed Forces Day, in Seongnam, South Korea on October 1. Photo: Reuters

Published: 9:30am, 12 Dec 2024Updated: 12:05pm, 12 Dec 2024

Kim Keon-hee, the wife of South Korea’s embattled President Yoon Suk-yeol, has been absent from public view for weeks, sparking speculation that his controversial decision to declare martial law was made to shield her from investigation.

A parody meme captioned “Yoon, the greatest lover who declared martial law for his wife,” has gone viral, reflecting the widespread public suspicion about Kim’s role in the crisis.

Another popular meme reads: “Fill in the blank: I’ve done everything to protect my love, even [martial law].”

Yoon’s martial law declaration on December 3 came just hours before the opposition-dominated National Assembly was set to vote on a special investigation targeting allegations of corruption and misconduct by the first lady.

Kim, 52, has not appeared publicly since October, when she accompanied her husband on a presidential trip to Southeast Asia.

Critics claim Yoon, 63, resorted to extraordinary measures to protect his wife, who has been dogged by allegations ranging from stock market manipulation and influence peddling to fabricated academic credentials and plagiarism.