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The Inquiry: What does a designer handbag say about South Korean politics?

What does a designer handbag say about South Korean politics?

13/06/2024 GMT

BBC World Service - The Inquiry, What does a designer handbag say about South Korean politics?

The gift that caused a scandal, and its political consequences

A designer handbag that was offered as a gift to South Korea’s first lady has far reaching political implications

In September 2022 a Christian pastor had a meeting with Kim Keon Hee, the first lady of South Korea, in her private residence. That meeting was recorded with a hidden camera and the film was released a year later.  

What happens in the footage is not entirely clear … except that it appears to show two people - a man and a woman meeting, and one offering an expensive bagged gift to the other. This obscure video triggered a political storm so large that some say it even affected the outcome of the country’s parliamentary elections.  

So what does a designer handbag say about South Korean politics?

Contributors:
Raphael Rashid, freelance Journalist based in Seoul
Sarah Son, Director of the Centre for South Korean Studies at the University of Sheffield
Jong Eun Lee, Assistant Professor of Political Science at North Greenville University in South Carolina
Andrew Yeo, Senior Fellow and South Korea Foundation Chair at the Brookings Institution

Presented by Tanya Beckett
Produced by Louise Clarke
Researched by Matt Toulson
Production Coordinator: Tim Fernley
Editor: Tara McDermott

Image Credit: Philip Fong\Getty

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