From blind date to first lady: Kim Hye-kyung's 35-year journey with Korea’s new president

President Lee Jae-myung arrives at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Wednesday, with his wife, Kim Hye-kyung, to take the oath of office. They are greeted by Woo Won-shik, right, the National Assembly speaker. Yonhap

In August 1990, Lee Jae-myung, a newly qualified lawyer, made the bold decision to marry one of the five women he had blind dates with in a single month.

With the same determination that would later characterize his political career, Lee arranged the five blind dates. Kim Hye-kyung, his third match, has remained by his side ever since, standing beside him during Wednesday’s inauguration.

Korea’s new first lady was born into a middle-class family in Seoul in 1966. She graduated from Sunhwa Arts High School and studied piano at Sookmyung Women’s University. She met Lee while preparing to study in Austria, but seven months later, those plans changed when she married him, launching a turbulent 35-year political journey.

When Lee entered politics in the early 2000s, Kim initially opposed the move. But as she saw him drive change in the community and build public support as mayor of Seongnam, her opposition gave way to support. During his first presidential bid in 2017, she accompanied him on regional campaign stops and even appeared alongside him on entertainment programs.

Kim Hye-kyung, left, and Lee Jae-myung hold their son in this undated file photo. Courtesy of the Democratic Party of Korea

However, Kim has also faced political controversies alongside her husband. In 2018, she was accused of running a social media account that posted derogatory comments about rival politicians and certain regions. In 2022, she faced allegations of using a Gyeonggi Province government credit card for personal expenses.

The fallout prompted her to keep a low profile during this year's campaign. She largely stayed out of the media spotlight and carried out most of her schedule separately from Lee.

For the new president, who has weathered multiple indictments, trials and political crises, Kim has been a steadfast presence.

Last year, ahead of the first trial verdict for his wife, who was indicted on charges of violating election laws, Lee shared a message on social media.

“I don’t usually cry … but I can’t help it when I see my wife dragged around like a criminal through no fault of her own, simply because of me,” he wrote. “Even now, my chest feels tight, I can’t breathe and I can’t see what lies ahead.”

He ended the post with a simple yet emotional line: “Hye-kyung, I love you.”

Attention is now turning to whether the Office of the First Lady will be reinstated. The office typically includes five to 10 staff members and oversees the first lady’s schedule, protocol, wardrobe and other activities.

Originally established in 1972 under former strongman Park Chung-hee, the office was abolished during the Park Geun-hye administration, revived under Moon Jae-in and eliminated again under Yoon Suk Yeol.

Lee has argued that the office is necessary but must be operated transparently. It is likely to be reinstated as part of broader personnel and structural changes under the new administration.