Ex-aide Jung Ji-won shares jump rope photos and stories about Kim Keon Hee
Jung Ji-won, a former presidential office administrator who served Kim Keon Hee, wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, has shared photos of Kim jumping rope barefoot.
Jung posted on social media Thursday, writing "Kim Keon Hee does not play golf," and shared photos and anecdotes about Kim's jump rope routine.
The post comes amid renewed attention to allegations that Kim Hye-kyung, wife of President Lee Jae Myung, played golf at Taereung Country Club, a military golf facility.
"I mentioned this once in a previous post, but inquiries have been flooding in over the past few days," Jung wrote. "Kim Keon Hee does not play golf."
Jung explained the background to Kim's jump rope habit, saying Kim "had been bedridden for a long time and lost a great deal of muscle mass," and that "the attending physician had recommended Kim do some strength training."
Jung recalled that Kim purchased three jump ropes from Coupang Inc. and gave one to Jung, encouraging the aide to exercise together. "When I take my dog for a walk and see children in the apartment complex practicing jump rope, I think of her," Jung wrote, adding that "long cords like jump ropes are not permitted" where Kim is currently being held. The remark was a reference to Kim's detention.
In the photos Jung shared, Kim is seen jumping rope indoors while wearing a skirt.
Kim's detention had been set to expire Saturday, but the Supreme Court issued an additional arrest warrant Wednesday, extending the detention by two months.
Earlier, on Oct. 17, Jung had shared a video of Yoon and Kim singing songs from the musical "The Phantom of the Opera" together. The video showed Kim, dressed casually and holding a microphone, singing before passing it to Yoon. Jung said at the time that the couple had been so fond of each other that they practiced songs from the musical after watching a performance together.
Jung's series of posts has drawn interpretation as an attempt to build public sentiment favorable to Kim's release.
jshan@heraldcorp.com
