Sunday, May 04, 2008

Stupid insensitive Nike doesn't understand Korean culture and doesn't like its statues fondled by Korean politicians.

Seems some Gyeonggi-do council members horrified some Nike employees in Portland by fondling some statues and "behaving like immature teenagers." The politicians claim it was a cultural misunderstanding. From yesterday's Korea Times:

Regional council members' angered an international sports goods maker through making sexually explicit gestures during their visit to its headquarters abroad. The politicians quickly tried to explain themselves, claiming ``difference of culture'' as an excuse, but businessmen in the United States called for an apology and prohibited the council members from visiting them again.

According to the Chosun Ilbo, the incident began when seven members of Gyeonggi provincial council visited the headquarters of the world's largest sports utilities maker Nike in Portland, USA, early March as part of their efforts to forge ties between Korea and the US. While there, two council members reportedly touched the breasts and private parts of a female statue. Witnesses said they even tried to put their hands in the statue's crotch while giggling. This left many of the workers there feeling horrified.

Later on, the witnesses complained to the company that the politicians' behavior was terribly embarrassing. ``Half of them were behaving like immature teenagers'' one reportedly said.

The headquarters' spokesman told the council team that the company felt deeply uncomfortable after hearing about what happened and that they will ``not welcome any further visits from the council.''

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I have no idea WTF these men were thinking. Sure is not a wise move by the council's part.

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