Song Young-gil Apologizes for 'Butt Tap Comment'... "Reflecting on the Gap in Gender Sensitivity"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] On the 20th, Song Young-gil, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea who sparked controversy by making remarks defending a diplomat accused of sexual harassment of local staff in New Zealand, apologized.

On the same day, Song said on his Facebook, "I apologize for causing unnecessary controversy," and added, "I will reflect on whether I am out of touch with the gender sensitivity of the current era."

He stated, "My original intention was to say that since this is a disputed matter, both sides' stories should be heard, but the message was inappropriate," and emphasized, "Whether male or female, physical contact without the other party's consent is not acceptable."

Song also added regarding the sexual harassment case, "I will urge the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to conduct a thorough fact-finding investigation again to resolve the issue."

Earlier, in an MBC radio interview the previous day, Song said about the diplomat's sexual harassment case, "(The victim) is in her early 40s, 180cm tall, and a male staff member of similar build," and "Among men, it's common to pat each other's stomachs or buttocks once in a while," which drew public criticism.

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