A 24-year-old American YouTuber, named Johnny Somali, has apologised after getting concerned in a extremely controversial incident in Korea.
Mr Somali sparked large outrage when he kissed the statue of a lady, symbolising Korean victims of wartime sexual slavery, throughout his go to to Changdong Historical past and Tradition Park in Seoul’s Dobong district, The Korea Occasions reported.
The apology was shared on the YouTube channel Firm on Thursday. Within the video, Mr Somali might be seen standing subsequent to the woman’s statue and apologising to the Korean public.
“I need to apologise to Koreans. I did not perceive the importance of the statue,” Mr Somali mentioned.
Additional, Mr Somali defined that his actions had been to entertain his viewers within the US. Whereas bowing down, he added in Korean, “I am really sorry for being disrespectful.”
Mr Somali has additionally expressed his curiosity in studying extra in regards to the historical past of Japan’s wartime intercourse slavery and the victims, who’re also called the “consolation girls”. Within the video, Mr Somali shared his willingness to fulfill the survivors in particular person and interview them to study extra about their historical past.
Regardless of the apology many viewers have expressed doubt on Mr Somali, noting that he has shared a number of controversial pictures and movies on his social media accounts.
A number of folks have highlighted that Mr Somali hasn’t deleted the photographs and movies of his controversial actions from social media.
This isn’t the primary time when Mr Somali confronted criticism for his actions. Some time again, he shared {a photograph} of himself holding a picture of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and mentioned, “I defeated Koreans for you, Shinzo Abe.”
Whereas the put up on YouTube was later deleted, it continued to be seen on Instagram with the caption, “RIP Shinzo Abe, I defeated the Koreans for you!”
In one other put up on Instagram, Mr Somali might be seen mendacity down and dancing in a neighborhood metro in Korea.
On October 31, the Seoul Mapo Police knowledgeable that Mr Somali was being investigated for obstruction of enterprise over his behaviour at a comfort retailer. Along with this, police are additionally trying into allegations of alleged assault and drug use as Somali is at present on an “exit ban” that stops him from leaving the nation.