Korean Red Cross president to step down after 2023 racist remarks made public, top office orders probe

Korea’s top office ordered a government investigation into Kim Chul-soo, the president of the Korean Red Cross, on Friday, following reports that he made racially discriminatory remarks about foreign ambassadors at a gala event in 2023.

President of the Republic of Korea National Red Cross Kim Chul-soo during a ceremony of the relief group's 120th anniversary at COEX in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Oct. 27. [YONHAP]

Korea's top office ordered a government investigation into Kim Chul-soo, president of the Republic of Korea National Red Cross (KRCS), on Friday, following reports that he made racially discriminatory remarks about foreign ambassadors at a gala event in 2023.

President Lee Jae Myung instructed the Ministry of Health and Welfare to launch a formal investigation into the incident as he "sternly reprimanded" the alleged conduct.

The alleged comments were made after a 2023 Red Cross charity gala in Seoul that hosted ambassadors and their spouses from seven countries, including Angola, India and Sri Lanka.

Following the event, the Kim reportedly told his staff that "they were all dark-skinned" and "didn't seem to be helpful," according to ruling Democratic Party (DP) Rep. Park Ju-min, a member of the parliamentary Health and Welfare Committee. The Red Cross president reportedly then told staffers to "invite some white people next time," including from the so-called "Big Five" nations in apparent reference to Western countries.

Data submitted by the KRCS to Rep. Park's office show that while invitations had previously been sent to all 113 embassies in Korea, the guest list was narrowed to 23 countries — including the "Big Five" — after Kim's remarks. Rep. Park posted about the incident on Facebook on Thursday, sparking the backlash and President Lee's calls for action.

Presidential spokesperson Kim Nam-jun said in a statement Friday that Lee also instructed all government ministries to establish firm measures to eradicate discrimination and hate of any kind, stressing that "prejudice based on race, ethnicity, nationality or region constitutes a serious antisocial act that harms the national community."

Red Cross President Kim informed senior Red Cross officials that he intends to step down after his remarks surfaced, according to local reports Friday. Kim previously co-chaired former President Yoon Suk Yeol's campaign fund-raising committee.

The KRCS has not responded to the Korea JoongAng Daily's request for a comment as of Friday evening.

The KRCS is part of the global International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies — the world's largest humanitarian network, founded on seven fundamental principles including humanity, impartiality and neutrality.

The organization's charter explicitly states that it "shall not discriminate based on nationality or race."

An International Committee of the Red Cross spokesperson told the Korea JoongAng Daily that the committee is currently reviewing the situation internally.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]