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Rep. Kim Moo-sung sorry for skin-color joke

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By Bahk Eun-ji
  • Published Dec 18, 2015 4:53 pm KST
  • Updated Dec 18, 2015 4:53 pm KST

Rep. Kim Moo-sung, second from left, delivers coal briquettes with exchange students at Gwanak-gu, Seoul, Friday. / Yonhap

Ruling Saenuri Party chairman Rep. Kim Moo-sung has apologized for making a joke about a Nigerian student’s color during volunteering activities.

Kim was delivering coal briquettes to the needy in Seoul with foreign exchange students on Friday.

About 40 exchange students from 27 countries and 50 youth members of the party took part.

Kim said to the Nigerian student: “Your face color is the same as the briquettes’ color.”

Reports criticizing Kim surfaced as soon as the activity finished.

Kim said he made the comment in the wrong way and should have realized showing friendliness this way could hurt someone.

“I am sincerely sorry, and there’s no excuse,” he said.