Lee Jae-yong’s lip balm ‘closed’ before camera

Is it the massive media attention he received for his copious use of lip moisturizer that’s making him shy?

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong was seen reaching for a dab of his lip balm, but upon noticing a camera filming him, Lee withdrew his outstretched pinky, stony-faced.

Lee was spotted with his ever-famous lip balm at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, where he was attending the Mass Games next to SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won as part of a group of South Korean chaebol leaders accompanying President Moon Jae-in on the historic summit.

Lee and Chey appear to have paired up for the trip, as they sat next to each other on the plane from Seoul to Pyongyang as well.

Lee and his penchant for lip moisturizing products became the talk of the town in 2016 when the scion was seen applying coats of lip balm between answers at a parliamentary hearing in regards to alleged bribes to then-President Park Geun-hye’s influence-peddling confidante Choi Soon-sil.

Lee was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison, but that was suspended for four years on Feb. 5.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)