First lady’s Three-hour Visit to Plastic Surgery Clinic During Martial Law Sparks Inquiry
SEOUL – A three-hour visit by First Lady Kim Kun-hee to a plastic surgery clinic in Gangnam on December 3rd - the day martial law was imposed – is fueling a political controversy and calls for clarity regarding her medical treatment. The incident has ignited a clash between the National Assembly and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety over access to medical records, with lawmakers demanding details about medications administered and the government citing personal information protection.
The National Assembly’s Health and Welfare committee is pressing for information, arguing the public has a right to know, particularly given the timing of the visit coinciding with a national emergency. Committee Chairman Rep. Park Joo-min emphasized that date of birth alone is insufficient to identify an individual and requested data submission. “It must be clearly revealed what kind of medicine she was administered at the plastic surgery clinic,” a committee member stated.
Though, Minister of Food and Drug Safety Oh Yoo-kyung has resisted, asserting that a 7-digit resident registration number or a three-year medication history would constitute protected personal information and requires “careful review.”
this standoff highlights a essential disagreement: the National Assembly prioritizing “the public’s right to know” while the government emphasizes “private information protection.”
The controversy extends beyond medical privacy. Concerns are being raised about a potential “vacuum of power” during the critical period when the President’s Office held control of national security. Questions are surfacing regarding whether the First Lady’s visit to a private facility immediately before the imposition of martial law suggests prior knowledge of the emergency or a deviation from established crisis management protocols. The fact that the clinic is a presidential advisory hospital has further intensified scrutiny.
While acknowledging the First Lady is not a public official, observers note that the spouse of a powerful leader cannot entirely escape the responsibilities of a public figure, especially during times of national crisis.
The debate has broadened from a single prescription to a larger issue of transparency and accountability. Speculation centers on the possibility of propofol administration, a medical sedative, and the need for clarity regarding its justification and dosage.
“The question ‘Why was it there that day?’ still remains,” sources within and outside the political sphere have stated, pointing to the timing as “too exquisite.”
The First Lady is already under investigation for other matters, including alleged intervention in state affairs, personnel involvement, and alterations to the Yangpyeong Expressway route. observers warn that concealing information under the guise of “personal information” will only exacerbate public suspicion.
Kim Ji-hoon, JIBS Jeju Broadcasting Reporter (jhkim@jibs.co.kr)
Copyright © JIBS. Reproduction and redistribution prohibited.
