First lady Kim Keon Hee / Korea Times file

A majority of Koreans support a special counsel investigation into allegations involving first lady Kim Keon Hee, according to a Hankook Research survey. The poll, which surveyed 1,000 people from Thursday to Friday, found that 73 percent of the respondents believe a thorough probe is necessary.

In particular, 61 percent of respondents consider a special counsel probe "strongly necessary," while 12 percent find it "somewhat necessary." The overwhelming majority reflects the public's strong demand for transparency and accountability.

In contrast, 25 percent of those surveyed said an investigation is unnecessary. Among them, 9 percent said it is "not very necessary," and 16 percent believe it is "not necessary at all." About 2 percent were unsure or did not respond.

President Yoon Suk Yeol has faced continued scrutiny over controversies involving his wife, which have significantly impacted his administration since before his election. These issues include allegations of stock manipulation, academic plagiarism, acceptance of luxury gifts and undue influence in state affairs.

Throughout Yoon's two-and-a-half years in office, these controversies have cast a shadow over his policy initiatives, leading to a decline in his approval ratings. Despite these challenges, Yoon has consistently dismissed the allegations as "exaggerated claims" by political opponents, saying that his wife has been unfairly targeted.

One of the most contentious issues has been the special counsel bill, which will appoint a special prosecutor to investigate allegations against the first lady. Yoon has vetoed the act three times, but it was recently passed by the National Assembly for the fourth time.

At a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, acting President Choi Sang-mok vetoed the bill again, saying that it requires more stringent standards, as certain clauses do not align with the Constitution.

Public opinion has been heavily influenced by Yoon's handling of these scandals. Polls indicate that his management of the issues surrounding his wife is a major factor contributing to his low approval ratings.

A significant scandal erupted in November 2023 when a liberal YouTube news channel released footage of a Korean American pastor giving a Dior handbag to Kim in September 2022. The pastor recorded the interaction with a hidden camera. Opposition parties accused the first lady of violating anti-graft laws, but the presidential office defended her, arguing that she was the victim of a politically motivated attack. After a lengthy investigation, prosecutors dropped all charges related to the handbag incident in October.

In the same month, prosecutors also decided not to indict Kim for her alleged involvement in a stock manipulation scheme involving Deutsch Motors, a BMW dealership. While investigators confirmed that manipulation had occurred, they concluded that Kim was unaware of the misuse of her financial accounts. This decision drew strong criticism from opposition parties.

Another controversy emerged when Myung Tae-kyun, a self-proclaimed political broker, came under investigation for allegedly influencing candidate nominations during the 2022 parliamentary by-elections through his connections with Yoon and his wife. Myung released screenshots of text messages exchanged with Kim, revealing that she appeared to seek his advice during Yoon's presidential campaign.

The Korea Times commissioned the survey to gauge public sentiment. Hankook Research surveyed 1,000 adults in phone interviews on Thursday and Friday.

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, with a credibility rate of 95 percent. Further details are available on the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission's website.