Travel YouTuber and TV personality Kwak Jun-bin, known as Kwak Tube, said his wife received a sponsored room upgrade and some services at a postpartum care center despite her status as a civil servant, prompting debate over whether it could violate South Korea’s anti-graft law.
Kwak posted a lengthy statement on his YouTube channel on April 10.
“As a public official’s family member, I deeply realize I should have acted more cautiously,” he wrote, acknowledging that after his wife gave birth, the facility provided a room upgrade and some services.
He said he disclosed the sponsorship on social media at the time but later edited the post after realizing the details could be misunderstood. After the controversy emerged, he said he sought legal advice and was told the sponsorship was a private contract between him and the facility and was unrelated to his wife’s official duties.
Kwak said he would cooperate if any procedural steps are required. He also said he plans to donate 30 million won to support single mothers, an issue he said he has long wanted to help address. He added that he has already paid the postpartum care center the full price difference for the sponsored benefits.
“I will think more deeply about social responsibility, not only legal standards, and put it into practice,” he wrote.
After his statement, online debate continued over whether there was any connection to official duties. Some commenters criticized the arrangement as a “loophole” and questioned whether such benefits are allowed if there is no job-related link. Others said the matter was settled because he paid the difference and legal advice found no issue, calling the criticism excessive.
Kwak previously posted several photos on April 1 showing his wife staying at a postpartum care center, with the post labeled “sponsored.” The facility is known to charge about 25 million won for two weeks in its top-tier Presidential Suite and about 45 million won for four weeks.
Some observers raised questions about a possible violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, commonly known as the Kim Young-ran Act, because his wife is a civil servant.
His agency said it was not a full sponsorship and that only a room upgrade was provided.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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