NBC analyst under fire in Korea over ignorant comment

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Sat, May 26, 2018 | 05:32

2018 PyeongChang

Posted : 2018-02-11 00:17

Updated : 2018-02-11 14:26

By Jung Min-ho

Joshua Cooper Ramo

An NBC Sports analyst has come under criticism here after making an ignorant comment about Korea, the host country of the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics.

During the live broadcast of Friday's opening ceremony, Joshua Cooper Ramo, a commentator for the U.S. broadcaster's coverage of the Olympics, said, "Now representing Japan, a country which occupied Korea from 1910 to 1945. But every Korean will tell you that Japan is a cultural and technological and economic example that has been so important to their own transformation."

His incorrect and insensitive comment about Korea's history has enraged many of its people.

Tens of thousands of Koreans and non-Koreans alike have criticized Ramo and NBC Sports on their social media, urging them to correct this misinformation and apologize.

"Your comments about Korea are absolutely rubbish. After decades of human rights violations, exploiting our resources, and attempts to destroy our heritage, Japan is nowhere close to being thanked, but absolutely despised," one person wrote on NBC News Facebook.

"NBC should have hired an unbiased and culturally sensitive commentator," said another on his Twitter.

During Japanese rule (1910-1945), many Koreans suffered enormously, often from rape, forced labor, torture and death. The issue of the comfort women, the victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery, is one of the many atrocities that occurred during that period. Few Koreans would agree with what Ramo said of Japan.

mj6c2@ktimes.com

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