South Korea’s National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang gives an Insulting Gift to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
2019-2-15, Tara O
South Korean lawmakers, led by Moon Hee-sang, the National Assembly Speaker, are visiting the U.S. to meet with the U.S. congressional leaders. The majority of them left South Korea on February 10, 2019 and they plan to stay in the U.S. until the 17th.
Moon Hee-sang, the current speaker of the South Korean National Assembly, met with the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on February 12, 2019 and gave her an unusual gift: a scroll written in Chinese. Koreans pronounce the four large Chinese characters in the middle as “Man Jeol Pil Dong.” It means China’s Yellow River may wind in different directions, but in the end, it flows east.
“It was a favorite phrase used by Koreans devoted to China during Chosun dynasty. It indicates yearning for China.” said Jeong Kyu-jae, a journalist and CEO of PennMike. (1:35) Jeong paraphrased “all roads lead to Rome,” by saying it means “all roads lead to China.” (1:45) Jeong lamented that American may think South Korea does not have its own writing system Hangul and that South Korea may be thought of as a vassal state (of China). (0:33)
Apparently, Moon Hee-sang wrote it himself as it has his name written on the left side in Chinese. It is casually addressed “Dear Pelosi” on the right side.
This strange gift leaves many questions:
- Why would the speaker of the South Korean National Assembly give the U.S. House speaker such a gift?
- Why not give a gift written in Korean or something related to South Korea instead?
- Why choose the phrase “Man Jeol Pil Dong?”
- a. Is Moon Hee-sang saying he is devoted to and yearns for China?
- b. Is he saying South Korea should be devoted to and yearn for China?
- c. Is he saying the U.S. should be devoted to and yearn for China?
If the answers to question #3 a-c is yes, then Moon Hee-sang’s gift is insulting to the people of South Korea and the United States.