The Dior bag scam involving South Korea’s first lady has come to light months before the elections (File)

A purported video of South Korea’s first lady accepting a Dior bag as a gift has sparked a political storm for President Yoon Suk Yeol and his People Power Party (PPP), just weeks before parliamentary elections.

In what is being called the “Dior bag scandal”, some PPP members are calling for an apology from the President and his wife Kim Keun Hee, while others say it was a conspiracy.

The controversy arose from alleged footage of Ms Kim Keon Hee accepting a Dior bag worth $2,250 (Rs 1,87,023) as a gift. In South Korea, it is illegal for public officials and their spouses to receive gifts worth more than 1 million won (Rs 62,152) at a time or more than 3 million won (Rs 1,86,456) in total within a fiscal year.

Analysts suggest this may be a violation of anti-bribery laws. Supporters of President Yoon claim this is a conspiracy and defamation campaign.

The incident came to light in November through a video clip recorded by the Reverend Abraham Choi, a Korean-American pastor who met with Kim Keon Hee to discuss concerns about President Yoon’s North Korea policy. According to a Reuters report, Reverend Choi alleged that luxury gifts were the only way to secure an audience with him.

The opposition Democratic Party took up the issue to criticize President Yoon and his party. Opposition leader Hong Ik-pyo argued that it made no sense for the presidential office and the ruling party to ignore the case, stressing that an apology would not be enough.

PPP leader Kim Kyung-yeul also drew comparisons between the first lady and the notorious French queen Marie Antoinette, known for her extravagant lifestyle.

A recent poll found that 69% of eligible voters want an explanation from the president about his wife’s actions, the BBC reports, and an earlier poll in December showed that 53% of respondents believed so. That his behavior was inappropriate.

President Yoon’s decision to remain silent and pressure from a party leader to resign over internal disagreements have created tensions within the PPP. Some analysts argue that this approach could become a focal point, potentially jeopardizing the party’s chances in the April 10 election.

The PPP faces additional challenges, with Kim Keon Hee also embroiled in allegations of stock price manipulation 12 years ago. The opposition-controlled parliament voted to appoint a special prosecutor for the case. His previous issues, which included allegations of falsifying professional records and plagiarism in his PhD thesis, had already caused a massive public reaction.