Diplomatic and Economic Fallout from Far-Right Lawmakers' Social Media Posts
Racism Controversy Spreads to Political Circles as Government Steps In
Petteri Orpo, Prime Minister of Finland, has issued an official apology to South Korea, China, and Japan regarding the controversy over anti-Asian discrimination sparked by Miss Finland's "slant-eye" gesture. As the controversy spread into political circles and led to diplomatic and economic repercussions, the Prime Minister personally stepped in to address the situation.
On December 18, Yonhap News, citing foreign media outlets such as AFP, reported that Prime Minister Orpo released an official statement of apology through the Finnish embassies in South Korea, China, and Japan. In a Korean-language statement posted on the social media account of the Finnish Embassy in Seoul, Prime Minister Orpo said, "I sincerely apologize for the offense caused by the social media posts of certain members of parliament." He emphasized, "Racism and all forms of discrimination can never be tolerated in Finnish society," and added, "The government regards this matter with utmost seriousness."
The controversy began at the end of last month when Miss Finland, Sara Zafce, posted a photo on social media in which she pulled up the corners of her eyes, accompanied by the caption "having dinner with Chinese people." This gesture is widely recognized in Western countries as a derogatory act towards Asians, leading to widespread criticism. Zafce explained that she was simply rubbing her temples due to a headache, but the controversy did not subside. Ultimately, Zafce was stripped of her Miss Finland title. The issue escalated into the political arena when some members of the far-right Finns Party posted photos of themselves making the same gesture on social media in support of Zafce.
Reuters reported that, as the incident developed into a diplomatic issue, the Prime Minister personally intervened to manage the situation. According to AFP, following the controversy, a Finnish TV production company suspended a joint project with Japan, and Finnish national airline Finnair also faced backlash in the Asian market. On December 18, the Finns Party held a weekly meeting to discuss possible disciplinary action against its members who posted racist content. Juho Eerola, one of the lawmakers who posted the controversial material, expressed his intention to apologize, but Kaisa Garedev, another lawmaker, told local media that she did not feel the need to apologize, suggesting that the controversy is likely to continue for the time being.
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