South Korea’s Ruling Party Expels Local Leader Over Remarks on “Importing” Women from Sri Lanka
South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party has expelled a local government leader following controversial remarks suggesting that women should be “imported” from overseas, including Sri Lanka, to address the country’s declining population.
The decision was taken against Kim Hee-soo, the head of Jindo County in South Jeolla Province, after he made comments proposing the “importation of young women from Vietnam and Sri Lanka” to marry young men in rural areas.
According to party spokesperson Park Soo-hyun, the Democratic Party’s Supreme Council voted unanimously to expel Kim over what it described as offensive and inappropriate remarks.
The decision was announced five days after Kim made the controversial statement at a local council meeting in South Jeolla Province last Wednesday. During the meeting, he suggested bringing in women from foreign countries to help solve the problem of low marriage rates and population decline in rural regions.
Kim’s comments sparked widespread criticism for being sexist, demeaning, and reducing women to commodities.
The day after the remarks drew public backlash, Kim issued an apology, stating that his intention had been to highlight the serious structural challenges faced by rural communities, including rapid population decline and difficulties related to marriage and family formation.
He said his comments were meant to draw attention to demographic and social issues rather than to insult women or foreign communities.
Despite his apology, the ruling party moved swiftly to distance itself from the remarks, emphasizing its commitment to gender equality and human dignity.
The incident has reignited debate in South Korea over declining birth rates, rural depopulation, and the treatment of migrant women, particularly those from developing countries in Asia, who often face social and economic vulnerabilities.
The reference to Sri Lanka in Kim’s statement has also drawn attention in Colombo, with observers noting the sensitivity surrounding the portrayal of Sri Lankan women in international discourse.
Political analysts say the expulsion reflects growing intolerance within South Korean politics for language that reinforces gender discrimination or undermines social values, especially at a time when demographic challenges are becoming a major national concern.