New York Consul General "doesn't intend to apologize" for controversial remarks on "unbelievable commemorative speech."

Consul General Kim Eui-hwan of New York said, "I don't think it's an inappropriate statement," regarding the controversy over disparaging Lee Jong-chan's commemorative speech at the Liberation Day celebration in New York in August.Consul General Kim

said in a parliamentary audit of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee held at the Korean delegation to the United Nations in New York, "I have no intention of apologizing for my inappropriate words and actions at the Liberation Day celebration."Consul General Kim

further claimed that the Liberation Day was held separately by the Liberation Day event, and that he made his remarks in a situation where the South Korean government and the president were insulted.

Regarding Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol's remarks at the National Assembly that he did not 100% sympathize with his remarks at the Liberation Day event, he said, "If I were the foreign minister, I would have answered, 'I don't think there's a big problem because the mission chief said it with his conviction."

When Consul General Kim raised his voice during the response process, Kim Seok-ki, chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, cautioned, "It's good to talk about your body, but please speak calmly."

Rep. Cho Jung-sik of the Democratic Party said, "I've seen many high-ranking government officials at the National Assembly, but I've never seen anyone like Consul General Kim," adding, "As a high-ranking official representing the government, I have to have public responsibility and weight, but as a high-ranking official, I have a problem with my attitude."Consul General Kim

caused controversy when he took the podium after Yoo Jin-hee, chairman of the New York branch of the Liberation Association, read Lee Jong-chan's Liberation Day speech criticizing the movement to enact National Foundation Day in New York on August 15 and said, "I thought I should sit here now while listening to the nonsense speech."Consul General Kim

said in a commemorative speech at the time, "Today is a day to deeply engrave the noble sacrifices of patriotic martyrs and to thank the United States for bringing liberation from Japanese occupation," adding, "We need to crush pro-North Korean leftist forces inside the Republic of Korea."

After these remarks, he said in a media interview, "I'm a special officer and that's why I don't do that with ordinary foreign ministry officials."