駐韓公使発言「遺憾」　処分、適材適所の観点で―加藤官房長官

　加藤勝信官房長官は１９日の記者会見で、韓国の文在寅大統領来日をめぐり在韓日本大使館の相馬弘尚総括公使が韓国メディアとの懇談で問題発言をしたとして「外交官として極めて不適切で大変遺憾だ」との認識を示した。処分に関しては「（茂木敏充）外相が適材適所の観点から判断する」と語った。
　韓国のＪＴＢＣテレビは１６日、日本大使館幹部が同局記者との懇談の席上、文氏来日に触れ、「卑俗な性的表現」を用いて言及したと報じた。韓国外務省の崔鍾建第１次官が相星孝一大使に抗議。同大使は相馬公使を厳重注意した。（2021/07/19-12:49）

The Japanese government Monday criticized the deputy chief of mission at its embassy in South Korea over what it saw as inappropriate remarks made to local media.
   The remarks by Hirohisa Soma, deputy head of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, are "extremely inappropriate as a diplomat and very regrettable," Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a press conference.
   Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi will decide what to do with Soma appropriately, Kato said.
   South Korean broadcaster JTBC on Friday said that a senior Japanese Embassy official during a conversation with one of its reporters used a sexually explicit expression when talking about South Korean President Moon Jae-in's possible visit to Japan.
   Japanese Ambassador to South Korea Koichi Aiboshi reprimanded Soma after he received a protest from South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun.