Song Young-gil Sparks Controversy with "UN Command Without Lineage" Remark

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] Song Young-gil, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea and chairman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, has once again sparked controversy by referring to the "UN Command without genealogy." Previously, he caused a stir for his lack of gender sensitivity when he described a diplomat accused of sexually harassing a local New Zealand staff member by saying, "Among men, it's common to pat each other's backs or even tap each other's buttocks."

On the 20th, in an interview with Yeontong TV, operated by Yonhap News Agency's Unification Media Research Institute, Song stated, "The UN Command in South Korea has no genealogy," and argued, "This should be controlled so that it cannot interfere in our inter-Korean relations." He also added, "The UN did not provide the budget; it is merely a fa?ade for the US Forces Korea."

Regarding the ROK-US joint military exercises, Song said, "Since we need to promptly regain wartime operational control, these exercises are inevitably necessary, so I believe we cannot avoid them," and added, "We need to make North Korea understand this well."

In response to criticism that the US has no intention of handing over wartime operational control, he emphasized, "It depends on our autonomous stance," and questioned, "Shouldn't we bring back wartime operational control first, even if insufficient, to make autonomous decisions and try?"

In particular, Song's use of the term "genealogy" was criticized as inappropriate for the chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee. Although he intended to emphasize the need to resolve inter-Korean relations independently, the expression was considered somewhat extreme.

This is not the first time Song has made controversial remarks. In June, when North Korea blew up the inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong Industrial Complex, he said, "It wasn't fired with a cannon, was it?" which drew public backlash.

Just the day before, regarding the diplomat accused of sexually harassing a local New Zealand staff member, Song said, "(The victim) is a male staff member in his early 40s, about 180cm tall and of similar build," and added, "Among men, it's common to pat each other's backs or even tap each other's buttocks," which also drew criticism from the political sphere.

The United Future Party criticized, "The distorted perception of a ruling party lawmaker toward sexual violence cases is utterly absurd. The National Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee chairman's sophistry trying to side with the government is deeply shameful," while the Justice Party also condemned, "We cannot help but ask if Chairman Song truly does not realize that his ignorant remarks are an 'overreaction.' It is utterly pathetic."

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