S. Korean President faces crisis over protection of controversy-plagued wife

Move may cost Yoon Suk-yeol and ruling People Power Party dearly as polls loom

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol is known to be a loving, devoted husband.

But analysts say his determination to protect his controversy-plagued wife, First Lady Kim Keon-hee, most recently by vetoing a Bill that would allow the opposition-controlled National Assembly to investigate her alleged involvement in a 2009 to 2012 stock manipulation case, may come at a huge cost to him and the ruling People Power Party (PPP) as the country heads towards a general election in April.

They also urged the President to reconsider his priorities as a leader first over being a husband.

Despite strong public opposition - 70 per cent of 1,033 respondents polled by Gallup Korea in early December opposed the veto - Mr Yoon exercised his presidential rights on Jan 5 to block the Bill, which was condemned by the PPP as an attempt by the opposition bloc to manipulate public opinion by shaming the First Lady.

The opposition, however, accused Mr Yoon of abusing his presidential rights and insisted that he was fighting the people to protect his wife.

Assistant Professor Yang Joon-seok of the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy at Sung Kyun Kwan University told The Straits Times that the political costs to Mr Yoon could be "substantial".

"Despite significant public sentiment, President Yoon proceeded with the veto, possibly underestimating the ensuing increase in public resentment," he said.

Plans to re-vote to override the veto are in progress.