Kim Seonghoe: "Half of Joseon Women Are Objects of Sexual Pleasure"... Presidential Office "Will Monitor Further"

"Homosexuality is a mental illness" "Comfort women haven't received 'overdue payments,' is that why?" remarks by Kim Seonghoe
"Are you ignoring uncomfortable truths due to moral prejudice?" he maintains his stance

Kim Seong-hoe, Secretary for Religion and Multicultural Affairs. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jung-wan] Amid ongoing controversy over past hateful and discriminatory remarks made by Kim Seong-hoe, Secretary for Religion and Multicultural Affairs at the Presidential Office, the Presidential Office stated on the 12th that they would "observe the situation a bit longer."

Kim received a suspension from Facebook due to posts such as calling "homosexuality a type of mental illness" and referring to the compensation demands of Japanese military comfort women victims as "hwa-dae" (a term for a bride price).

After being recently appointed as a secretary and facing criticism over these posts, Kim uploaded a post titled "Monologue (A Shameful Confession)" on Facebook that day.

Kim stated, "In the Joseon Dynasty, 40-50% of the population were slaves, and among them, female slaves who could bear second-generation slaves were preferred. Slaves had no freedom, and even if female slaves lived outside (外居), if their noble owners demanded sexual services, they had to spend the night with them. This is a widely accepted theory in the field of history."

He added, "Half of the female population was always the object of sexual pleasure for the noble owners. Is it wrong to reflect on such a shameful history?"

Kim also said, "Why are intellectuals and the media in the Republic of Korea so trapped in their own moral prejudices that they ignore uncomfortable truths?" He continued, "I believe that when people have the courage to face uncomfortable truths, even if it makes them blush, the world becomes more truthful, people become freer, and we can prosper together."

Political criticism of these remarks also intensified. Go Min-jung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized, "The appointment of Secretary Kim clearly shows the historical perspective and sexual awareness that President Yoon Seok-yeol pursues."

When reporters asked a Presidential Office official at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in the morning, "The opposition party has called for a decision on Secretary Kim's position. Is there any change from yesterday when you said there was no position?" the official replied, "We will observe the situation a bit longer."

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