[Comprehensive] Song Young-gil: "Men Patting Each Other's Butts"... Flood of Criticism Asking "Are You Defending Sexual Harassment?"

United Future Party "Protecting the Government Even at the Expense of Hurting Victims"
Justice Party "Utterly Shameful"

Song Young-gil, chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the plenary meeting of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee on the morning of the 14th of last month.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Song Young-gil, chairman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee and a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, sparked controversy on the 19th by saying about a diplomat accused of sexually harassing local staff in New Zealand, "Among men, it's common to pat each other's backs once or tap their buttocks once."

On the same day, Song appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' and said, "I think there is also a cultural difference."

He added, "(The victim) is a male staff member in his early 40s, about 180cm tall and of similar build," and "The victim was known to be close to the consul who is the alleged perpetrator."

However, Song drew a line regarding the issue of extraditing the diplomat to New Zealand, saying, "From the man's perspective, it could be unpleasant," but "I think that is an 'overreaction'."

Song's remarks were met with immediate criticism from opposition parties.

Hwang Gyu-hwan, deputy spokesperson of the United Future Party, criticized in a statement, "The chairman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, who should be raising his voice against the diplomat who hurt the victim and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their complacent response, is instead shielding the government with reckless logic just because he belongs to the ruling party, even to the extent of hurting the victim."

He continued, "The distorted perception of sexual violence by a ruling party lawmaker is utterly absurd. The sophistry of the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee trying to side with the government at all costs is deeply shameful."

Song Young-gil, member of the Democratic Party of Korea and chairman of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The Justice Party also joined the chorus of criticism against Song. Cho Hye-min, spokesperson for the Justice Party, said in a written briefing, "One cannot help but ask if Chairman Song truly does not realize that his ignorant words themselves are an 'overreaction,'" adding, "It is utterly pathetic."

He said, "Whether the other party is of the opposite or the same sex, sexual harassment is sexual harassment. It is a violent act of imposing unwanted behavior unilaterally," and "To invoke cultural differences is to condone sexual harassment and contributes to creating a society insensitive to sexual violence. I hope he realizes this."

Ahn Hye-jin, spokesperson for the People's Party, also criticized, "Song's outrageous remarks are not a one-time occurrence, but his biased defense of his own side has crossed the line by a wide margin."

Ahn pointed out, "It is no exaggeration to say that the numerous power-related sexual crime cases frequently occurring within the Democratic Party are influenced by the low and pathetic level of gender sensitivity of those in power," and "No wonder the Democratic Party of Korea is disparagingly nicknamed 'Deobureomanjindan' (a pun meaning 'Democratic Party of Touching') or 'Deodeumeominjundan' ('Democratic Party of Groping')."

Meanwhile, the diplomat accused of sexual harassment was disciplined with a one-month pay cut by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in February last year for sexually harassing a local male staff member while serving at the New Zealand Embassy in December 2017.

On the 28th of last month, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern raised the issue of the diplomat's sexual harassment during a summit call with President Moon Jae-in, causing controversy. It is reported that New Zealand authorities have not yet made an official extradition request for the diplomat.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.