South Jeolla Province issued a formal apology to the Vietnamese public after Jindo County Gov. Kim Hee-soo sparked backlash by suggesting “importing Vietnamese women” to address population decline. In a statement released under the provincial spokesperson’s name Saturday, the province said it “sincerely bows its head in apology to the Vietnamese people and women,” adding that the use of terms such as “import” “undermines human dignity, objectifies women and cannot be justified under any circumstances.” The comments contradict South Jeolla’s stated commitment to human rights, gender equality and multicultural inclusion, the statement said. The province also emphasized Vietnam’s importance to the region, noting that many residents of Vietnamese origin have settled in the province and are valued members of local communities. The controversy stems from remarks Kim made during a town hall meeting on Wednesday on measures to counter regional population decline. “If it comes down to it, we have to import young unmarried women from places like Sri Lanka or Vietnam, arrange ma
Korean province apologizes to Vietnamese people after ‘import young foreign women’ remark draws backlash
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