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[Newsmaker] Yoon apologizes over his spouse’s false career allegation

Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate for the main opposition People Power Party (Yonhap)
Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate for the main opposition People Power Party (Yonhap)

Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate for the main opposition People Power Party, bowed his head and apologized Friday for the controversy over allegations his spouse Kim Keon-hee had made false claims about her career history.

"I am sorry for causing concern to the public over the controversy related to my wife," Yoon told reporters. "Regardless of the reason, I make it clear that the fact that (she) caused controversy without accurately writing down her career does not fit the fairness and common sense I have emphasized."

Kim has been hit with allegations that she exaggerated her career history on resumes she sent to two local universities -- Suwon Women’s University and Anyang University -- in 2007 and 2013, respectively, to apply for teaching positions.

"The consistent principles and standards that I had in the past should be applied equally to me and my family members," Yoon said.

When a reporter asked about a possible investigation related to his wife, he said laws and principles make no exceptions for anyone. There is no possibility of a direct apology from Yoon’s wife, however, according to Lee Yang-soo, a senior spokesman for the party.

"Among Korea’s previous presidential candidates, there is no precedent in which the spouse apologized directly due to (his or her) problem," Lee said.

The resume she sent to Suwon Women’s University in 2007 allegedly included false claims that she had served as a director for the Korea Association of Game Industry for three years starting in 2002, before it was officially established. On a resume sent to Anyang University in 2013, she allegedly lied that she had won the top prize in the animation category of the 2004 Korea Content Awards.

By Shin Ji-hye (shinjh@heraldcorp.com)
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