Wife of South Korea’s Lee shuns limelight to reduce ‘first lady risk’

Edition:Get unlimited access to the SCMPHIGHLIGHTSNewsBusiness & TechOpinionLifestyleMore +TopicsFocus to tailor your experience and present relevant ads. By clicking “Accept”, you agree that cookies can be placed per our -AllSouth Korean president’s wife shuns limelight to reduce ‘first lady risk’SIGN INKim Hea-kyung maintains a low profile approach and focuses on welfare, contrasting with her predecessor’s scandal-hit tenure2-MIN READ2-MIN0ListenPublished: 1:57pm, 14 Jun 2026South 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.02:38South Korea’s former first lady Kim Keon-hee gets 20 months in jail for corruptionDespite her limited public profile, there have been moments when the first lady attracted widespread attention in a positive light.During French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to South Korea in April, she attended official events wearing a bright yellow hanbok inspired by forsythia blossoms. Images of her appearance circulated widely online and were picked up by foreign media outlets.Some political observers argue that the first lady should maintain her restrained public role and limited scope of activities.“I would say public fatigue stemming from controversies surrounding the previous first lady still persists,” said Shin Yul, a political-science professor at Myongji University, adding, “That sentiment makes Kim Hea-kyun’s cautious approach appear appropriate.”Further ReadingOthers, however, argue that a low profile approach is not the only model, noting that several former first ladies earned favourable reviews by actively engaging in charitable work, public service and public outreach on a broader scale than Kim Hea-kyun does now.