Kim Keon-hee

First Lady of South Korea since 2022

Kim Keon-hee (Hangul: 김건희; Hanja: 金建希; born 2 September 1972) is a South Korean businesswoman. She is the current First Lady of South Korea as the wife of President Yoon Suk-yeol. She is also currently the chief executive officer and president of the South Korean art exhibition company, Covana Contents.

Kim Keon-hee
김건희
First Lady of South Korea
Assumed role
10 May 2022
PresidentYoon Suk-yeol
Preceded byKim Jung-sook
Personal details
Born (1972-09-02) 2 September 1972 (age 52)
Yangpyeong, South Korea
Spouse(s)
(m. 2012)
Alma mater
Signature

Early life

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Kim was born on 2 September 1972 in Yangpyeong, South Korea. She attended Myungil Girls' High School. She graduated from Kyonggi University with an art degree.[1]

Career

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In 2009, Kim established Covana Contents, a company that specializes in art exhibitions.[2] She has been the chief executive officer and president since then.[2][1] In 2019, the media reported that she had allegedly not paid taxes.[3] Kim has been investigated for allegedly taking kickbacks for hosting art exhibitions.[4]

In 2021, there were reports that Kim had inflated her resume with connections to the New York University Stern School of Business.[5] She later publicly apologized.[6][7]

Personal life

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Kim married Yoon Suk-yeol in 2012.[8] On 10 March 2022, when her husband was elected president of South Korea, Kim said that she preferred the term first spouse to first lady.[1]

References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "[단독]김건희 "'영부인'보다 '대통령 배우자' 표현이 좋아"". www.donga.com (in Korean). 2022-03-10. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "[여성조선] 전시장에서 만난 윤석열 검찰총장 후보 부인 김건희 대표... 60억대 자산가". June 28, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  3. "[단독]윤석열 후보자 부인, 세금 체납으로 세차례 집 압류". www.donga.com (in Korean). 2019-06-22. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  4. "Choo orders Yoon to be walled off from two probes". koreajoongangdaily. October 20, 2020.
  5. "[단독]뉴욕대 "김건희 5일 연수…학력·학점 불인정 기업체 위탁 유료과정"". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  6. 박로명 (2021-12-26). "김건희 대국민 사과 후…11개 의혹 조목조목 해명". 헤럴드경제 (in Korean). Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  7. "김건희 "잘 보이려 경력 부풀려" 대국민 사과". 노컷뉴스. 2021-12-26. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  8. "윤석열 장모는 유독 '부동산'에 집착했다". 오마이뉴스 (in Korean). 2021-03-26. Retrieved 2022-03-10.