Bill Gates offends Koreans after sticking hand down trousers Bill Gates has managed to offend the whole of South Korea after brazenly breaking the country's strict but unwritten handshake rules. He greeted female President Geun Hye Park with the customary one-handed palm press, but neglected to remove his other hand from his trouser pocket. Using one mitt with the other stuffed in a …
"Surely someone should have said to him, when greeting in South Korea you should use both hands or something like that? doesn't the South Korean president have advisors who are there to ensure visits go well?"
Maybe they assumed that such a pivotal figure already had someone to tell HIM that, or already had manners?
To me it comes back to it being the visitor's role when visiting someone important in a formal setting to bother reading a guide to etiquette. It's not hard.
"they should respect our culture as much as we would respect theirs when we visit their country..."
I'm not about to let the manners or attitude of a person being rude affect my manners towards anyone else in the world, though. One can't say "It should be fine to not respect other people's customs because some people don't respect mine".
"We in the West have to be tolerant in this age of multiculturalism and have to bend over backwards to accommodate every 'johnny foreigners' foibles."
Funny, on my only visit to Seoul, I was amazed at how friendly and accommodating the South Korean people were. My friend and I visited some hole in the wall restaurants and the owners went out of their way to help us, even though they spoke no English and we spoke no Korean.
The South Korean government even has instituted international cabs to bend over backwards and accommodate Johnny Foreigner-- these are specially licensed cabs whose drivers are required to be proficient in one or more foreign languages and are required by law to give the best rates to their customers.
Maybe you ought to take a peek out from under your bridge and visit some places. It's a big world out there, and many of the people in it are kind and worth knowing.
This post has been deleted by its author
It is easy to understand why one could easilly make such a faux pas when 67 Billion little devils push you into the trap. I doubt that he disrespects the Koreans I presume that is just his normal behaviour he must be walking about in a permanent high..
Now if someone would provide me with even half of his bank account I would be happy to do some testing to see whether or not I fall into the same pot.
Nah, Eadon would have said welcome to Microsofts new R&D dept, where Blamer shoved his hand down the back of his trousers, rummaged, squeezed and grunted for a while before popping out a Windows 8 handset and a puppet, both of which he then sent over to Nokia telling them to get on with it.
:-)
People need to lighten up. He left his hand in his pocket when greeting someone. I doubt it was maliciously done, even if the media is reporting it as if he's pulled down his trousers and shat on the floor.
Maybe he was just playing pocket billiards and was struggling with a tricky pink?
This post has been deleted by its author
Then the south Koreans need to understand (and the majority may well do) that when a non South Korean does it, it is NOT considered rude.
Bill does far more good than harm with his position and wealth. I guess tall poppy syndrome is why some want to criticise him for a faux pas any westerner there could have made.
You're meeting the president of a country (which happens to be very favourable toward the company which is the source of your staggering wealth), and you either don't seek, or ignore, any advice about polite protocol? I'd most certainly call that rude, and arrogant to boot.
Should you invite someone from Elbonia to dinner, he may throw mud at your wife, fart in your face, and dry hump your daughter. If that's just a normal welcome in Elbonia, surely it couldn't be considered rude, right?
Social protocol is a minefield mate, even if he was taking lessons it's likely they only covered the 'big' stuff, not how one holds themselves while talking, or where you place your other hand during a handshake.
Honestly the whole thing reads like a slow news day beat up.
This post has been deleted by its author
He has done it before, as mentioned in the article. Do you really think someone of his status and among these people of all people, he did not know what he is doing?
Maybe he feels no disrespect, but he was telling her it was a meeting of equals.
Same old power trip
Then again, who gives a monkeys? He may have billions and the ability to fill a bedroom with the worlds top 100 women, but hes still a dork with glasses.
This post has been deleted by its author
Can the French president plant a peck on her cheeks when he comes calling? After all, its in their culture. The whole Royalty sucking class will be up in arms, trigerring another Anglo-French war. Royal cheeks (chicks?) are more valuable than Bill gates' Dollars?
Protocol, what protocol?
Get over it, guys.
Wasn't aware of this particular social nicetie, but would automatically remove my hand from my pocket when greeting someone anyway.
But then USAians do seem a little less formal in their greetings then those of us on this side of the pond and I wouldn't neccessarily assume they were being disrespectful if they didn't.
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2024
