Ministry of Foreign Affairs Overseas Mission Sexual Misconduct Followed by Swearing and Abusive Language Controversy
"I Want to Eat Human Flesh" Inhumane Remark
Ministry Issues 'Warning' to Consul... "Appropriate Measures" Explained
Experts Warn "Could Escalate into Diplomatic Issue"
Following a series of sexual misconduct scandals at overseas diplomatic missions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there has now been a controversy involving abusive language and verbal abuse. Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Su-wan] Recently, as a series of sexual scandals involving diplomats at overseas missions have come to light, causing a stir, it has been reported that a Korean diplomat stationed in the United States repeatedly made outrageous remarks to mission staff, including saying, "Human meat must be delicious; I definitely want to try it," sparking controversy. In particular, although misconduct within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues unabated, there are criticisms that the punishments are too lenient.
Experts have expressed concern that if the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to take a lukewarm stance on diplomats' misconduct, it could escalate into a diplomatic issue.
According to a tip received on the 20th by the office of Lee Tae-gyu, a member of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee from the People’s Party, Consul A stationed in the United States was investigated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Inspector General’s Office last November for 16 cases of misconduct, including verbal abuse and inappropriate language toward administrative staff at the mission.
At the time, Consul A not only said, "I definitely want to try human flesh," but also threatened and mocked staff with remarks such as, "Even if you resign, I will harass you to the end," and "Can you live on this salary?"
Moreover, there were reports of statements like, "My grandmother is Japanese, and thanks to her, Koreans could survive by eating bread," as well as inappropriate physical contact with staff, forgery of official documents, and budget embezzlement.
Administrative staff at the consulate reported this misconduct to mission executives in October last year, and the mission requested an audit from headquarters. However, the punishment was limited to a warning, and Consul A is reportedly still performing duties at the mission.
In response to the ongoing controversy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that appropriate measures had been taken against the consul in question.
Lee Jae-woong, Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular briefing that day, "The Ministry conducted a thorough investigation into the reported content, and based on this investigation, appropriate actions were taken."
As misconduct within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues unabated, voices of criticism are rising among citizens. Photo by Yonhap News
However, this is not the first case of diplomatic misconduct. Earlier in August, at the Embassy in Nigeria, an administrative staff member was found to have sexually harassed a local employee by touching specific body parts and leading them to a bed. In New Zealand, a consul was prosecuted for molesting a local male employee, Mr. B, causing international embarrassment. These individuals either received no disciplinary action or only light penalties such as warnings.
In particular, Mr. B, the victim of the sexual harassment case, personally requested an investigation into the incident at the Korean National Assembly and is demanding strong punishment for the perpetrator, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the victim’s side have yet to reach an agreement.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ "Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence Prevention Guidelines," "The Minister of Foreign Affairs must promptly and appropriately carry out disciplinary and other sanction procedures against the perpetrator based on the principle of zero tolerance." Ultimately, the current disciplinary policy within the Ministry has become effectively meaningless.
Given this situation, public outrage continues to grow over the repeated misconduct within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ministry has been criticized for failing to properly investigate despite repeated warnings and for issuing lenient punishments, showing inadequate responses to diplomats’ misconduct.
Office worker Kim (27) said, "This is a disgrace to the country," adding, "A person representing the Republic of Korea making sexual harassment and insulting remarks is grounds for dismissal. It’s embarrassing to other countries."
She continued, "A thorough investigation and exemplary punishment for the problematic employee are not enough, yet only a warning was given. If problems continue, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must impose strong penalties to restore discipline," she emphasized.
Voices calling for measures to prevent recurrence are also emerging in the political sphere. On the 7th, Hwang Gyu-hwan, Deputy Spokesperson of the People Power Party, stated in a commentary, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is causing international embarrassment and lowering the status of the Republic of Korea due to repeated sexual misconduct. The Ministry’s consistent leniency and delayed punishments, as well as some ruling party lawmakers’ attempts to cover up these issues, bear responsibility."
Deputy Spokesperson Hwang urged, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must undertake a self-purifying effort that cuts to the bone, and the ruling party should not be preoccupied with covering up government failures but rather allow the legislative branch to exercise its proper oversight function."
Experts point to the Ministry’s closed internal culture as the cause of the ongoing scandals and inappropriate remarks at overseas missions. Political commentator Lee Jong-hoon said regarding the repeated misconduct within the Ministry, "This is not something that just happened recently. Although the Ministry has stated it will improve, such behavior continues. This is a structural problem," adding, "The Ministry also shows a lukewarm attitude toward punishment when problems arise. It inevitably invites criticism of 'protecting their own members.'"
He continued, "Because the fundamental issues are not being resolved, the problems persist," emphasizing, "If left unchecked, this will not remain an internal matter but could escalate into a diplomatic issue, so countermeasures are necessary."
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