It’s no secret that Joe Biden doesn’t have much credibility or respect from foreign leaders. But we’ve never heard the kind of dripping contempt that was expressed by South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on a hot mic recording obtained by the South China Morning Post.
Biden gave his annual speech to the UN General Assembly and promised to increase the U.S. contribution to the UN Global Fund — a promise that would need congressional approval. President Yoon expressed his feelings about Biden’s abilities to get that done in rather colorful language.
“How could Biden not lose damn face if these f—ers do not pass it in Congress?” Yoon asked his aides on a hot mic Wednesday.
“He wasn’t speaking publicly on the stage but in passing, and although I don’t know who recorded it and how, I actually think it should be verified,” a South Korean official told reporters afterward, according to Yonhap.
“I think it’s highly inappropriate to draw a link between private remarks and diplomatic accomplishments,” the official added, referring to criticism that Yoon had created a diplomatic disaster. “It’s quite regrettable that a diplomatic disaster is being talked about over something like that when he is doing everything to complete a demanding schedule in the national interest of the Republic of Korea.”
In a response worthy of Biden himself, Yoon’s spokesperson claimed he never said it.
Presidential spokeswoman Kim Eun-hye said in New York on Thursday Mr Yoon did not actually say “Biden”, but a similar-sounding Korean word, and that he was referring to the South Korean parliament, not the US Congress.
Many were unconvinced by the government’s defence – an opposition MP said it was like telling Koreans they were “hearing impaired”.
Mr Yoon is a former prosecutor who only entered politics last year and won the presidential elections earlier this year by less than 1%.
He is known as being prone to gaffes and has been struggling with low approval ratings soon after being elected, correspondents say.
In politics, it’s whatever works. Alas, for Mr. Yoon, not much is working — either the truth or lies. He’s got very low approval numbers and angered the entire nation when, last year, he said of the president who massacred protesters in 1980, “He was good at politics.”
Biden loves to talk about how he has “restored” American “prestige” overseas. Mr. Yoon’s comments would seem to indicate otherwise.
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