DISPUTES OVER LEE'S WIFE

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During the Lunar New Year holiday, there has been a string of speculations that ruling Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung's wife had mobilized Gyeonggido Province civil servants to carry out her personal affairs. Kim Hye-kyung, who has been silent until now regarding the allegations, finally spoke up and apologized. The very person who is believed to have ordered staff members to take care of Kim’s errands also issued a statement saying he or she was only trying to impress the candidate and his wife -- an explanation that has not been well received.

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This shows a telegram chat conservation that took place in March last year between an individual surnamed Bae working in the general affairs department of the Gyeonggi-do provincial government and another person from the secretary’s office who we will call A. Bae asks A to look for medicine for "Samonim," an honorific term referring here to Lee’s wife. In response, A said a prescription had been acquired in the name of a female secretary. One hour later, A posted a photo of the prescription for 28 days worth of medication, and then wrote he or she was now returning to work. A also shared a photo showing a shopping bag containing the medicine placed outside Kim’s house. This constitutes allegations of getting a proxy prescription. More revelations continued that the same person A helped Lee’s son with hospital check-ins and discharge using an official vehicle, and filled out hospital papers to assist in Kim’s hospital visits. Kim finally spoke out on the matter, stating that she is to blame and that she should not have mixed public and private affairs. Kim said she received help from Bae whom she is well-acquainted with, and apologized to the public. She went on to say that it pains her heart thinking of this employee A's hardship. But she denied receiving constant assistance from Bae. Before Kim’s statement, Bae also provided an explanation. Bae acknowledged he or she asked for excessive demands from A, the secretary office’s employee, to gain favor with Lee and his wife. As for the proxy prescription, Bae said the medicine was for his or her own use, but did not explain then why it was delivered to Kim’s house. The other party A denounced Bae’s unreliable excuse saying it ridicules the public’s level of understanding and common sense. The main opposition People Power Party also pointed out that spouses of public officials failing to draw the line between official and personal matters is a fatal blunder, and that it is how people who don’t hold public titles get to interfere in state affairs.