First Lady Kim Keon-hee Allegedly Ordered Presidential Office Renovations While Holding Pet Dog

First Lady Kim Keon-hee allegedly directed renovations for the Yongsan presidential office while holding her pet dog, according to a claim by Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Kun-young. Yoon stated on MBC radio that while he has no issue with Kim's love for her pets, her inability to distinguish between public and private matters was problematic.

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Kim Keon-hee, while holding her pet dog, summoned presidential security officials and interfered with and even instructed on the renovation of the Yongsan presidential office.

According to Yoon, Kim, who as a civilian had no authority to summon public officials, called in presidential security service members. He alleged she appeared with her dog and interfered with the office's construction, giving instructions on how to modify it. Yoon placed the incident around November 2022, before President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife moved into the Hannam-dong residence.

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The fact that she appeared holding a pet dog and gave such and such instructions is truly amazing.

Yoon also shared a report that Kim brought her dog to President Yoon's birthday party, where the then-Chief of Staff reportedly spent the entire event caring for the animal. "There are not just one or two eccentric behaviors related to her dogs," Yoon said, calling it a "serious intervention in state affairs" for a civilian to summon and treat public officials as if they were her subordinates. He described the Yoon couple as "truly bizarre."

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It is a serious intervention in state affairs. The fact that a civilian summoned public officials and treated them as if they were her subordinates is itself an unacceptable act.

The Yoon couple's fondness for dogs is well-known. They previously owned six dogs and five cats. It was also revealed during a parliamentary audit last year that they had requested diplomatic protocol for their dogs during a state visit to France in 2023, though they reportedly did not bring the animals on that trip. An allegation of installing a dog swimming pool at the Hannam-dong residence was also raised, but Yoon's side stated it was a "water facility for landscaping."

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Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife are truly bizarre.