“If these bastards in parliament… what an embarrassment to Biden,” S. Korean president mutters to his aides
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, who has been on a trip to the United States to attend the 77th U.N. General Assembly in New York, came under criticism on Wednesday, Sept. 21, as he was found to have told his aides some “bad words,” which were believed to be directed towards the U.S. Congress.
According to the video footage filmed by an on-site cameraman from major South Korean broadcaster MBC, Yoon told his diplomatic minister and security secretary: “In parliament, in case these bastards do not give an approval, what an embarrassment would it be to Biden?”(Unofficial translation from KR to EN.*)
Yoon made the remarks that included foul language as he was leaving the venue of a fundraising event, where he also had a brief, 48-second conversation with U.S. President Joe Biden. It was a low voice but clearly recognizable in the video footage.
As the news crossed the Pacific to reach his home country, different interpretations came out surrounding the “parliament,” as the original Korean expression could mean either the National Assembly or the Congress.
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) criticized the president for what it called “diplomatic disaster,” claiming that it requires a decent explanation about the context from which such words came out.
The presidential office had yet to provide an official comment.
*Original Korean expression: “국회에서 이 새끼들이 승인 안 해주면 바이든은 쪽팔려서 어떡하나?”
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