South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was overheard insulting American lawmakers after he briefly met US President Joe Biden on Wednesday. In their meeting, the leaders discussed issues including US electric-vehicle subsidies that South Korea wants to change.
“What an embarrassment for Biden, if these idiots refuse to grant it in Congress,” video broadcast on South Korean television showed the South Korean leader telling Foreign Minster Park Jin.
The comments were caught on a microphone as both were leaving a brief chat with Biden.
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A senior South Korean presidential office official said that Yoon Suk Yeol’s comments were unofficial and unverified, Bloomberg reported.
Opposition South Korean lawmakers saw the President's comments as damaging to the country's image.
The off-the-cuff comments from Yoon were met with derision from opposition South Korean lawmakers, who said they tarnished the country’s image.
South Korean leader Yoon Suk Yeol has already faced severe criticism for shunning an in-person meeting with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last month.
{{/usCountry}}South Korean leader Yoon Suk Yeol has already faced severe criticism for shunning an in-person meeting with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last month.
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