Not even presidents had sat in king's chair at Gyeongbokgung
| The main palace Gyeongbokgung in Seoul (Yonhap) |
Kim Keon Hee, the wife of ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol who herself is no stranger to scandal, has touched off yet another dispute, as it was recently revealed she sat on the throne at Gyeongbokgung during a 2023 visit.
The Korea Heritage Service on Wednesday confirmed that Kim had sat atop the throne located in Geunjeongjeon of the main palace of the Joseon era (1392-1910) during a welcoming ceremony for guests from the United Arab Emirates. Kim and her companions had not been officially scheduled to enter Geunjeongjeon, where she was present from 1:35 p.m. to 3:26 p.m. on Sept. 12, 2023.
According to the KHS, the presidential office requested the visit and the chief of the agency at the time gave the order for preparations. The throne Kim sat on was not the original one used during the Joseon Kingdom, but a replica built later.
Kim's dubious visit to Geunjeongjeon sparked major backlash from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea at a parliamentary audit on Wednesday, as well as from the public.
Why the controversy?
| Inside Geunjeongjeon, where kings held court during the Joseon era. (Yonhap) |
Geunjeongjeon, South Korea's National Treasure No. 223, was where the monarchs of the Joseon Kingdom held state-level events and welcomed envoys from foreign countries. It is one of the most popular spot for tourists in Gyeongbokgung, though visitors are prohibited from entering the main portion.
According to the heritage authority, Geunjeongjeon symbolized the authority of the monarch and the Joseon Kingdom, with statues of hechi — a mythical divine guardian — erected around the hall.
The KHS confirmed that no past president had ever sat on the throne.
National Museum of Korea chief You Hong-june, who formerly headed the agency and testified at Wednesday's parliamentary hearing, said he thought Kim sitting on the throne was "wrong, as do all the people (in Korea)."
This is not the first time Kim has been accused of compromising the country's heritage for personal use during her husband's tenure as president. It was revealed in September 2024 that Kim and her guests drank tea in a typically inaccessible section of Jongmyo, a shrine from the Joseon era.
None of the six people present at the meeting held an official position in the South Korean government at the time. It was also found that security cameras in the area had been turned off for the duration of the visit.
Yoon's office at the time refused to confirm the meeting was a personal event due to security reasons.
Kim's Jongmyo visit was brought up again in this year's parliamentary audit. Huh Min, chief of the KHS, said he would request an investigation if necessary and impose punitive actions against related officials in accordance with the results.
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