During South Korea's closely contested presidential election on Wednesday, the emphasis was also on Kim Keon-hee, the wife of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, who has been aggressively pursuing her profession as the owner of an exhibition planning agency.

Kim, the company's chief executive officer and founder, has maintained a low-key presence on the campaign trail since being dogged by a slew of claims and speculations in recent weeks.

She also said that, despite the fact that she had limited opportunity to display her personality in public during the campaign phase, she would "quietly" support the president-elect in the background.

According to Kim, "I feel the most essential role (for the wife) is to create an environment in which (Yoon) can do his best to handle state matters." Kim was responding to an inquiry from The Korea Herald about her priorities.

"In order for the president-elect to concentrate on the people, I will work in the background."

Kim, who was born in 1972, majored in painting at Kyonggi University and went on to obtain a master's degree in art instruction before receiving a doctorate in digital content design from the same institution.

Kim worked as an instructor at schools and colleges while working her way through the ranks of the arts and design business. In 2007, she launched the cultural content company Covana Contents, which she continues to run today.

'I've always had an interest in painting, even as a child. According to Kim, "(because of my academic background), I naturally developed a desire to build a business that could help disseminate the value of art," she stated in a 2015 interview with DongA Business Review, when asked about the origins of her organization.

"I wanted to do more than just arrange art shows; I wanted to have a beneficial impact on the entire culture industry."

Her firm has staged art exhibitions with well-known artists such as Alberto Giacometti, Marc Chagall, and Mark Rothko, among many others.

Kim and Yoon exchanged wedding vows in March 2012. Although there is no especially heartwarming love story or meet-cute associated with their relationship, according to Kim, the history between Yoon and Kim dates back years.

According to Kim, she has known Yoon "for a long time" according to an interview conducted in 2018. A mutual acquaintance had advised that they would make an excellent marriage, and they were married in 2012. Yoon was 52 at the time, while Kim was 40.

"He didn't have any money, and I was worried that he wouldn't be able to marry anyone if it weren't for me," Kim explained in the interview.

The couple does not have any children. They have four dogs and three cats in their home.

She has been actively pursuing her career to date; however, she has stated that she will "work alongside the president-elect to raise his awareness on areas of society where the government cannot reach." She has stated that she will "work alongside the president-elect to raise his awareness on areas of society where the government cannot."

Kim may decide to take a vacation from her business, given that the firm has not completed any projects in the last year, but she may also pursue her own interests separately, as indicated by the first lady's outgoing attitude and previous statements.

When asked about her plans for the future in an interview in 2018, Kim stated, "I don't want to abandon my professional ambitions and become a stay-at-home mom just because my husband is a high-ranking politician." Yoon was working as the chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office at the time of the incident.

Because Yoon had previously stated that he would "get rid" of the Office of the First Lady in the midst of the election campaign, it is possible that the office's function may be decreased as well.

The next first lady, on the other hand, is dealing with a slew of claims, which she is sure to want to get behind as quickly as possible.

During the campaign, she came under fire from the opposition party, which claimed she had falsified sections of her résumé when she sought for teaching positions at universities in 2007 and 2013. She denied the allegations.

During her first formal public appearance following Yoon's presidential campaign, Kim apologized and said that she had "exaggerated" her professional background in order to make herself appear more impressive.

As part of the investigation into Deutsch Motors' stock manipulation, she is also suspected of making unlawfully large gains from her role in the case. The matter, which is presently under investigation by the prosecutors, will also provide a challenge for the future first lady, who will have to find a solution.