Joking and Humorous, Yoon's English Skills... Praised for a "Warm and Friendly Atmosphere"

President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is on a state visit to the United States, has attracted attention for his English skills demonstrated during his joint address to the U.S. Congress on the 27th. After the speech, online reactions praised President Yoon’s English as exceeding expectations and noted his sense of humor. President Yoon received a total of 56 rounds of applause during the 44-minute speech.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

원본보기 아이콘

In his speech, President Yoon mentioned Korean content and delivered ad-libs that were not in his prepared script. In particular, he made jokes such as "Even if you don't know my name, you probably know BTS and Blackpink," and, "BTS came to the White House first, but I came to Congress first," which drew laughter from the audience.

Online comments included praises like, "I was surprised after watching the speech. He looked natural and confident," "I was amazed by his English skills, but I liked the content of the speech even more," and "He created a warm atmosphere in the usually formal congressional speech."

This is the seventh time a South Korean president has addressed the U.S. Congress. Previously, Presidents Rhee Syngman (1954), Roh Tae-woo (1989), Kim Young-sam (1995), Kim Dae-jung (1998), Lee Myung-bak (2011), and Park Geun-hye (2013) gave speeches.

Among past presidents, former Presidents Kim Young-sam and Lee Myung-bak delivered their speeches in Korean, while former Presidents Rhee Syngman, Roh Tae-woo, Kim Dae-jung, and Park Geun-hye spoke in English. It is reported that President Yoon invested considerable time preparing for this English speech.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

원본보기 아이콘

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.