EXPLAINER From Kim Young-sam to Lee Jae Myung: golf's enduring political trap

Golf has again become a political flashpoint in Korea after an opposition lawmaker’s allegation against first lady Kim Hea Kyung prompted an explicit denial from LPGA star Lydia Ko and a sharp rebuttal from Cheong Wa Dae.

This episode drew fresh attention to why the sport remains so politically sensitive in Korea despite becoming more accessible to the public.

Rep. Joo Jin-woo of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) claimed that Kim received an exclusive golf lesson from Ko on Oct. 20 and released a video that featured a woman who Joo claimed is the golfer.

Ko, a Korean-born New Zealand LPGA Hall of Fame member, denied any involvement, saying she attended an official sponsor event that day. She warned of legal action over false information and defamatory coverage.

Cheong Wa Dae also dismissed Joo’s account as false and warned that media outlets could be held responsible for repeating his assertions without verifying the facts.

Joo subsequently removed Ko’s photograph from the video and acknowledged “some errors” but offered no apology.

Golf and power

“The controversy reflects lingering criticism of presidential families’ golf outings despite the sport’s growing popularity,” said Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University.

He referred to golf’s wider appeal since the 1990s as Korean players succeeded overseas and the number of courses increased.

“Golf has become more accessible, but its association with wealth and privilege remains strong. This perception makes outings by presidents and their families easy targets for political attacks, even without evidence of wrongdoing,” the professor said.

Several former presidents reinforced golf’s political sensitivity by treating not playing as a sign of discipline and commitment to public service.

During his 1993-98 presidency, Kim Young-sam declared that he would refrain from golf and removed a practice facility inside Cheong Wa Dae.

Under Park Geun-hye’s 2013-17 administration, criticism of military officers golfing during heightened North Korean threats similarly fostered an atmosphere of restraint.

In 2015, Park said she had never imposed a golf ban and called for measures to support the industry, illustrating how presidential signals could shape officials’ behavior without a formal prohibition.

Beyond discouraging officials from playing, some golf controversies also raised questions about their judgment and use of public money.

During Roh Moo-hyun’s 2003-08 presidency, Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan resigned in March 2006 following criticism of a golf outing with businessmen on a national holiday that coincided with the start of a nationwide railway strike. His golfing partners’ business interests compounded questions about his conduct.

In January this year, the Board of Audit and Inspection found that a golf practice facility at former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Hannam-dong residence had been built without required approvals.

Construction documents described it as a guard post, concealing its purpose.

Those findings concerned government resources and administrative procedures beyond the act of playing golf.

President Lee Jae Myung’s recent outing prompted a different debate over emergency responsibilities.

Cheong Wa Dae acknowledged that Lee visited Taereung Country Club with family on Oct. 10, the same day a commercial building’s ceiling collapsed in Daegu and injured more than 30 people.

It said he received reports at the course, spoke directly with the acting police chief and issued response instructions.

Nevertheless, the opposition questioned the timing of his actions.

Golf as foreign policy tool

The sport also carries diplomatic value.

Lee is preparing for a possible round of golf with U.S. President Donald Trump around December’s G20 summit in Miami, following Trump's earlier suggestion. Accordingly, Cheong Wa Dae formed a task force to arrange the meeting, giving the president a practical reason to practice.

Lee is not the first Korean president to practice golf with diplomacy in mind.

During his 2022-25 presidency, Yoon, Lee’s predecessor, also turned to golf for diplomacy, with his office saying in November 2024 that he had resumed practicing for a possible round with Trump.

“Whether for diplomacy or personal leisure, playing golf does not itself amount to misconduct,” said Jung Jae-hwan, a political science professor at Inha University.

“What matters is whether officials fulfill their duties, properly cover the costs and avoid using their position to secure unfair benefits or inconvenience other golfers. Any criticism should therefore rest on evidence of such problems rather than the sport’s association with wealth and privilege.”