A South Korean local government head has been expelled from the Democratic Party of Korea after suggesting the “import” of “young virgins” from foreign countries as a way to tackle the country’s falling birthrate.
71-year-old Kim Hee-soo, governor of Jindo County in South Jeolla Province, made the remarks during a live-streamed Gwangju-South Jeolla administrative integration town hall meeting at the Haenam Culture and Arts Center on 4 Feb.
Source: 목포MBC뉴스 on YouTube
During a discussion on measures to address population decline, Kim said that if legislative efforts proved insufficient, authorities might have to “import young virgins from Sri Lanka or Vietnam” to help rural bachelors marry.
He added that revitalising industry alone would not resolve depopulation without broader measures.
The comments quickly triggered backlash, with local media reporting widespread criticism that the remarks were sexist, racist, and dehumanising.
Women’s rights groups said the statement commodified women and reduced them to tools of population policy, describing it as a serious human rights violation.
The groups announced plans to hold a protest calling for Kim’s resignation.
The Democratic Party’s National Women’s Committee added that the remarks reflected a view of women as “childbearing tools” and revealed discriminatory attitudes toward foreigners.
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It criticised the description of people as “objects for import”, saying such language undermines human dignity and is incompatible with the responsibilities of a public official tasked with promoting human rights and gender equality.
Amid mounting criticism, Kim issued a public apology on 5 Feb, saying he had intended to emphasise the need for stronger institutional responses to population decline but acknowledged that his wording was inappropriate and pledged to prevent a recurrence.
Diplomatic repercussions followed. On 6 Feb, the Vietnamese Embassy in Seoul sent a letter to the South Jeolla provincial government and the Jindo County office expressing deep regret.
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The embassy said the remarks harmed the dignity of Vietnamese women and could negatively affect bilateral relations, and called for responsible action and measures to prevent a recurrence.
South Jeolla Province later issued its own apology, stating that terms such as “import” undermine human dignity and objectify women and cannot be justified in any context.
The province also sent formal apology letters to the Vietnamese and Sri Lankan embassies.
Following the controversy, the Democratic Party of Korea initiated disciplinary proceedings and voted to expel Kim on Monday (9 Feb).
The decision was made unanimously at a closed-door Supreme Council meeting, senior spokesperson Park Soo-hyun said.
Source: KBS News on YouTube
The party stated that Kim’s remarks violated its values and ethics and had seriously damaged its reputation.
As a result of the expulsion, Kim immediately lost party membership and backing. Political observers say that as an independent, he may face reduced organisational support and diminished leverage in working with the central government.
Beyond his expulsion, pressure is mounting for Kim to step down as governor.
Also read: Korean Company Offers S$101K To Employees For Each Child Born After 2021 To Boost Birth Rate
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