1/ President Lee Jae Myung has ordered an investigation into Korean Red Cross chairman Kim Chul-soo after JTBC revealed audio of him making racist remarks about foreign ambassadors from countries like Angola and India, calling them "pitch black-faced people" who were "worthless".
2/ The incident occurred after a November 2023 Red Cross gala for major donors. Kim told staff about ambassadors from Angola, India, Czech Republic, Sri Lanka and three other countries: "Foreign ambassadors, worthless people all gathered."
3/ Kim then made explicitly racist remarks: "I could see that only pitch black-faced people had all gathered," he said, referring to the diplomats. He then instructed: "Don't just gather pitch black-faced people, bring some white people."
4/ Kim then said: "Only people from those peripheral countries who don't help at all come." He instructed staff to focus on the "so-called Big 5" countries because "it's all about money."
5/ The seven affected countries were reportedly Angola, India, Czech Republic, Sri Lanka plus three others. In 2024, the Korean Red Cross then reportedly selectively sent invites to 23 countries including the US, UK and Germany to their gala. It's unclear who actually attended.
6/ President Lee severely reprimanded Kim for his racist remarks and ordered the health ministry to investigate. He instructed all ministries to establish measures to eradicate discrimination and hate, calling them "serious antisocial acts that harms the national community."
7/ Kim reportedly apologised on an internal company board, saying his remarks "cannot be justified for any reason." https://news.jtbc.co.kr/articl...