The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Homeless women struggle to find place to spend night

  • 3

    More than dozen chaebol scions indicted on alleged drug use

  • 5

    People attempt to cut surging heating costs with creative solutions

  • 7

    Shunsuke Michieda overwhelmed by Korean fans' support for his coming-of-age film

  • 9

    Life prisoner sentenced to death for beating inmate to death

  • 11

    Kim Hyun-joo says humanity is at heart of action film 'Jung_E'

  • 13

    Korea's childbirths hit record low in Nov.

  • 15

    Korea's GDP shrinks 0.4% in Q4, 1st contraction in 10 quarters

  • 17

    Jang Keun-suk steps out of his comfort zone with 'The Bait'

  • 19

    Renaissance aesthetics meets surreal fantasy in Park Min-joon's oil paintings

  • 2

    Koreans stunned by spike in heating costs

  • 4

    Heavy snow hits Seoul, surrounding areas

  • 6

    Netflix series 'The Glory' draws focus to real school bullying

  • 8

    Inflation weighs on households

  • 10

    'I was a stock investment addict': psychiatrist seeks to help addicted people through his book

  • 12

    INTERVIEWPartnerships with Korean companies help Delta Air Lines' post-pandemic recovery

  • 14

    PHOTOSAnother day of heavy snowfall in Korea

  • 16

    Gov't to double subsidies for vulnerable households as energy bills soar

  • 18

    S. Korea to increase joint air defense exercises following N. Korean drone incursions

  • 20

    Gov't seeks to limit where child sex offenders can reside

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Sat, January 28, 2023 | 08:54
Embassy
Politics of US envoy's moustache
Posted : 2019-12-29 16:36
Updated : 2019-12-29 20:45
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
By Yi Whan-woo

For Harry Harris, sporting a moustache was an expression of a new start as U.S. ambassador to Korea following a 40-year military career.

A clean-shaven Harry Harris is pictured in military uniform when he was the head of the U.S. Pacific Command before being appointed U.S. ambassador to Korea. / Courtesy of U.S. Embassy Harry Harris is pictured plus moustache after he took up his post as U.S. ambassador to Korea in July 2018. / Courtesy of U.S. Embassy
A clean-shaven Harry Harris is pictured in military uniform when he was the head of the U.S. Pacific Command before being appointed U.S. ambassador to Korea. / Courtesy of U.S. Embassy
A clean-shaven Harry Harris is pictured in military uniform when he was the head of the U.S. Pacific Command before being appointed U.S. ambassador to Korea. / Courtesy of U.S. Embassy Harry Harris is pictured plus moustache after he took up his post as U.S. ambassador to Korea in July 2018. / Courtesy of U.S. Embassy
Harry Harris is pictured plus moustache after he took up his post as U.S. ambassador to Korea in July 2018. / Courtesy of U.S. Embassy
"I wanted to make a break between my life as a military officer and my new life as a diplomat," he told The Korea Times last week, repeating what he said on the day he arrived in the South in July 2018. "I tried to get taller but I couldn't grow any taller, and so I tried to get younger but I couldn't get younger. But I could grow a moustache so I did that."

But the Korean public does not perceive his new look as he intended.

The moustache rather has become associated with the latest U.S. image of being disrespectful and even coercive toward Korea, especially after Washington's demand that Seoul pay $5 billion toward the upkeep of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK).

Critics find the negative U.S. image reminiscent of Japan's brutal colonial rule, when all eight governors-general had moustaches.

In this context, Harris, often has been ridiculed for not being an ambassador but a governor general.

Harris made a fair argument about his appearance in relation to Japan, saying, "There are many Korean independence leaders that have moustaches, but no one seems to focus on that."

The reason for this was that — in extreme cases — the critics were speaking from a racist context in reference to the ambassador's Japanese background. He was born in Japan to a Japanese mother and a U.S. Navy officer.

Against this backdrop, Harris made it clear he would not deny his ethnic background.

"I am who I am. All I can say is that every decision I make is based on the fact that I'm American ambassador to Korea, not the Japanese American ambassador to Korea," he said.

He noted that throughout his military and diplomatic career, his ethnic background has only come into play twice by the Chinese and Koreans.

When Harris was head of the U.S. Pacific Command, he was outspoken about China's aggressive moves in the East and South China seas — and China's state-run media routinely used his ethnic background against him.

Asked if he had considered shaving his moustache to bring about better interaction with Koreans, he said, "I'm not sure — you would have to convince me that somehow the moustache is viewed in a way that hurts our relationship."


[INTERVIEW] US forces to stay in S. Korea, irrespective of change in situation
[INTERVIEW] US forces to stay in S. Korea, irrespective of change in situation
2019-12-29 16:35  |  Foreign Affairs

A clean-shaven Harry Harris is pictured in military uniform when he was the head of the U.S. Pacific Command before being appointed U.S. ambassador to Korea. / Courtesy of U.S. Embassy Harry Harris is pictured plus moustache after he took up his post as U.S. ambassador to Korea in July 2018. / Courtesy of U.S. Embassy
A civic activist joins a performance ridiculing U.S. Ambassador to Korea Harry Harris' moustache in central Seoul, Dec. 13, during a rally against Washington's demand to excessively increase Seoul's contribution for the upkeep of U.S. forces here. / Korea Times photo by Lee Han-ho

Emailyistory@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1People attempt to cut surging heating costs with creative solutions People attempt to cut surging heating costs with creative solutions
2Seoul to work with Hanoi to pursue peace on Korean peninsula Seoul to work with Hanoi to pursue peace on Korean peninsula
3Cabinet ministries turn deaf ear to watchdog's advice on sexual minorities Cabinet ministries turn deaf ear to watchdog's advice on sexual minorities
4More Korean manufacturers enjoy Georgia's hospitality More Korean manufacturers enjoy Georgia's hospitality
5SK E&S retains gov't support for Barossa gas project in Australia SK E&S retains gov't support for Barossa gas project in Australia
6Superintendent of Seoul Education Office gets suspended jail term Superintendent of Seoul Education Office gets suspended jail term
7KT&G aims to become global top-tier company KT&G aims to become global top-tier company
8Indonesia celebrates 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Korea via virtual event Indonesia celebrates 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Korea via virtual event
9LGES to capitalize on US IRA, Tesla partnership to continue record earnings LGES to capitalize on US IRA, Tesla partnership to continue record earnings
10Middle East 'sales diplomacy' picks up speed Middle East 'sales diplomacy' picks up speed
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Shunsuke Michieda overwhelmed by Korean fans' support for his coming-of-age film Shunsuke Michieda overwhelmed by Korean fans' support for his coming-of-age film
2Kim Hyun-joo says humanity is at heart of action film 'Jung_E' Kim Hyun-joo says humanity is at heart of action film 'Jung_E'
3Jang Keun-suk steps out of his comfort zone with 'The Bait' Jang Keun-suk steps out of his comfort zone with 'The Bait'
4Renaissance aesthetics meets surreal fantasy in Park Min-joon's oil paintings Renaissance aesthetics meets surreal fantasy in Park Min-joon's oil paintings
5BLACKPINK sets 6 more Guinness records BLACKPINK sets 6 more Guinness records
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

wooribank
CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group