Kim Hea-kyung, wife of President Lee Jae Myung, has chosen a low-key public role to minimize political risks and controversy for the administration.

South Korean first lady Kim Hea-kyung remains largely out of the spotlight one year into President Lee Jae Myung’s administration, adopting a low-key public role that contrasts sharply with the high-profile approach of her predecessor, Kim Keon-hee. Kim Hea-kyung has limited her public appearances and stayed away from political issues – a strategy political observers describe as prudent, given that presidential spouses, despite holding no official constitutional role, can shape public...