Lee Hyo-jin covers the Bank of Korea, the banking industry and broader financial news. Her previous beats include foreign affairs, North Korea and general reporting on Korean society.
Ex-presidential couple’s arrest leaves 11 pets in aides’ care
This combined photo shows former first lady Kim Keon Hee, left, and former President Yoon Suk Yeol, holding their pet dog Tori at the presidential office in Seoul, May 2022. Yonhap
By Lee Hyo-jin
With former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee behind bars, their 11 pets — six dogs and five cats — left behind at their residence are being cared for by close aides.
According to local reports, several close aides who previously assisted Kim at her art exhibition company, Kobana Contents, and former presidential office staffers are now visiting the couple’s residence regularly to tend to the pets.
But the fate of these animals remains uncertain, as this arrangement may not last.
Some of the aides are under investigation in connection with the ongoing special probe into Yoon and Kim, while the couple's own legal future remains unclear.
Known for their love of animals, the couple had pets even before Yoon's presidency and adopted several more during his term. All 11 were moved to their private residence in southern Seoul after Yoon was impeached in April.
After the former president was arrested in July on insurrection charges, Kim had been taking care of the animals. But her own Aug. 12 arrest on corruption charges left the pets without either owner.
Some have suggested that, under the protection by the Presidential Security Service (PSS) — the only remaining presidential privilege extended to the disgraced couple — security officials could take care of the pets.
By law, the PSS covers preventing harm to the person or property of those under security. Since pets are legally considered property, some have interpreted that the security officials have a duty to oversee them. But the PSS was reportedly cautious about taking responsibility for the pets since this could clash with public sentiment.
The couple's devotion to their pets is well known.
Just before his first arrest in January, Yoon spent about 10 minutes with one of his dogs, Tori, before leaving for Seoul Detention Center. After briefly being released in May when a court overturned his detention warrant, he was spotted taking one of his dogs for a walk.
The ongoing situation faced by Yoon's pets recalls an earlier controversy involving former President Moon Jae-in's animals. When Moon lost government funding to look after two Pungsan dogs that he received as a gift from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, he sent them to a state-run facility. At the time, Yoon criticized the move, saying, "Dogs should live with their owners."