Lydia Ko denies giving golf lessons to first lady amid political controversy

Lydia Ko denied involvement in an alleged golf lesson with first lady Kim Hea Kyung at Taereung Golf Club in Seoul on Oct. 20. Ko said she was attending a sponsor event and would consider legal action over unverified claims. Rep. Joo Jin-woo alleged the lesson took place on the day a deadly fire injured 19 people in Seoul. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea said it would file a criminal complaint against Joo, while Cheong Wa Dae warned it would hold those spreading false information accountable.

Ko said on social media that she had no connection to the reported matter and intended to take legal action, as appropriate, against posts or articles spreading unverified false information or damaging her reputation.

The fire in Yeoksam-dong left five people seriously injured and 14 with minor injuries.

Joo said he had obtained video footage and other evidence to support his allegation about the golf lesson.

On Oct. 11, Joo alleged that President Lee Jae Myung had played golf on the day a commercial building collapsed in Daegu, injuring 38 people.

Ko has 23 career victories on the LPGA Tour and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2024.

Published Oct 26, 2026 9:16 pm KST

A CCTV image purportedly showing first lady Kim Hea Kyung at Taereung Golf Club in Seoul, Oct. 20 / Courtesy of office of Rep. Joo Jin-woo of People Power Party

Lydia Ko waves after winning the gold medal in the women's individual golf event at the 2024 Paris Olympics in Guyancourt, France, in August 2024. Yonhap

Golfer Lydia Ko denied any involvement in an alleged golf outing with first lady Kim Hea Kyung, Monday, following claims by an opposition lawmaker that the first lady had received golf lessons from a prominent professional golfer on the day of a deadly fire in Seoul.

"I was attending an official event hosted by a sponsor on the date in question and had absolutely no connection to the matter reported," Ko wrote on social media. "I intend to take legal action, as appropriate, against articles or social media posts that spread unverified false information or damage my reputation."

Earlier that morning, Rep. Joo Jin-woo of the main opposition People Power Party alleged that the first lady had received private golf lessons from the professional golfer at Taereung Golf Club in Seoul on Oct. 20, the day a man in his 70s set fire to two buildings in Seoul's southern Yeoksam-dong. The fire left five people seriously injured and 14 others with minor injuries.

He claimed to have obtained video footage and other evidence to support his allegations.

It was not the first time Joo had accused members of the presidential family of indulging in "luxury golf." On Oct. 11, Joo also alleged that President Lee Jae Myung had played golf on the same day a commercial building collapsed in Daegu, injuring 38 people.

Cheong Wa Dae later explained that Lee had gone golfing during the holiday after repeatedly postponing the outing because of overseas trips and weekend commitments. It added that the president paid for the round out of his own pocket.

In response to Joo's latest allegations, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea announced that it would soon file a criminal complaint against him for "repeatedly spreading false information about the president's family."

Cheong Wa Dae also issued a statement to the press, warning that it would "hold those who report unverified allegations as fact or spread false information strictly accountable."

Ko rose to prominence as a teenage golf prodigy and has amassed 23 career victories on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour. She was inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame in 2024. She is married to the youngest son of Hyundai Card Vice Chairman Chung Tae-young.

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高宝璟否认10月20日在首尔泰陵高尔夫俱乐部与第一夫人金喜京进行高尔夫课程。高宝璟表示，她当时是出席赞助商活动，并将考虑就未经证实的说法采取法律行动。国会议员朱镇宇声称，这堂课发生在首尔发生致命火灾、造成19人受伤的当天。执政的共同民主党表示将对朱镇宇提起刑事诉讼，而青瓦台则警告称，将追究散布虚假信息者的责任。

高宝璟在社交媒体上表示，她与报道中的事件没有任何关联，并打算对散布未经证实的虚假信息或损害其名誉的帖子或文章采取适当的法律行动。

驿三洞火灾造成5人重伤，14人轻伤。

Joo表示，他已获得视频录像和其他证据来支持他对高尔夫课程的指控。

10 月 11 日，朱某声称，李在明总统在韩国大邱一座商业大楼倒塌、造成 38 人受伤的当天打高尔夫球。

高宝璟在LPGA巡回赛上共获得23场胜利，并于2024年入选LPGA名人堂。

发布于2026年10月26日晚上9:16（韩国标准时间）

据称是第一夫人金喜京10月20日在首尔泰陵高尔夫俱乐部的监控录像截图 / 图片由国民力量党议员朱镇宇办公室提供

2024年8月，在法国居扬库尔举行的2024年巴黎奥运会女子个人高尔夫球赛中，高宝璟夺得金牌后挥手致意。（韩联社）

周一，高尔夫球手高宝璟否认与第一夫人金喜京有任何瓜葛，此前一名反对派议员声称，第一夫人在首尔发生致命火灾当天接受了一位著名职业高尔夫球手的指​​导。

“事发当天我出席的是赞助商举办的官方活动，与报道中的事件完全无关，”高宝璟在社交媒体上写道。“对于散布未经证实的虚假信息或损害我名誉的文章或社交媒体帖子，我将视情况采取法律行动。”

当天早些时候，主要反对党国民力量党议员朱镇宇指控，第一夫人于10月20日在首尔泰陵高尔夫俱乐部接受了职业高尔夫球手的私人高尔夫课程。10月20日当天，一名70多岁的男子在首尔南部驿三洞纵火焚烧了两栋建筑物。火灾造成5人重伤，14人轻伤。

他声称已获得视频录像和其他证据来支持他的指控。

这并非朱某第一次指责总统家族成员沉迷于“豪华高尔夫”。10月11日，朱某还声称，李在明总统在韩国大邱一座商业大楼倒塌、造成38人受伤的当天，也在打高尔夫球。

青瓦台随后解释说，李明博总统在假期期间打高尔夫球，此前他因出国访问和周末安排多次推迟了这次出行。青瓦台还补充说，总统自掏腰包支付了这轮高尔夫球的费用。

针对朱某的最新指控，韩国执政的共同民主党宣布，将很快对其提起刑事诉讼，指控其“屡次散布有关总统家庭的虚假信息”。

青瓦台也向媒体发表声明，警告称将“严惩那些将未经证实的指控当作事实报道或散布虚假信息的人”。

高宝璟少年时期就展现出惊人的高尔夫天赋，并在女子职业高尔夫协会（LPGA）巡回赛上斩获23场胜利。她于2024年入选LPGA名人堂。她的丈夫是现代信用卡副会长郑泰泳的小儿子。

青瓦台罕见地披露了李明博在反对派攻击前打高尔夫球的消息

青瓦台成立特别工作组，安排与特朗普的高尔夫球活动