S. Korea national security advisor resigns after alleged Blackpink White House invite blunder
South Korean National Security Advisor Kim Sung-han has resigned amid allegations he did not relay information about Blackpink’s invitation to perform at the White House during President Yoon Suk-yeol’s upcoming U.S. state to Yoon.
U.S. First Lady Jill Biden invited Blackpink and Lady Gaga to perform at the state dinner, which YG Entertainment confirmed this week.
However, a news segment from TV Chosun claimed that while many South Korean government officials were aware of the invitation from the Bidens, President Yoon was never notified. There were reportedly at least six omitted reports related to the invitation in March alone. Yoon was allegedly angered upon finding out about the invitations via the Foreign Ministry line.
Kim was appointed to his role a year ago and had played a crucial role in Yoon’s early campaign days. The two have known each other since elementary school.
On Wednesday, Kim announced he would return to academia and hold a position back at Korea University, where he served as a professor of Korea-U.S. relations and U.S. diplomatic policy.
Kim said he does not want to be a “burden” on the administration and remarked that the upcoming state visit should go smoothly for his successor.
Preparations for the president’s upcoming state visit to the United States are well underway, so even if a new successor arrives, I believe he or she can carry out his or her duties without a hitch. I hope that the controversy I have caused will no longer be a burden on diplomacy and state administration.
Yoon has tapped Cho Tae-yong, a U.S. envoy, as his new national security advisor.
In recent weeks, South Korea has witnessed replacements of its secretaries of protocol and diplomacy, namely Kim Il-bum and Lee Moon-hee, respectively. Lee was involved in preparing for Yoon’s state visit to the U.S. and his attendance at the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima, Japan, in May. Meanwhile, Kim Il-bum resigned before the summit between South Korea and Japan on March 12, citing exhaustion.
As of now, Blackpink have a scheduling conflict with the date of the state dinner as the K-pop act are set to perform in Mexico on April 26 as part of their “Born Pink” world tour.
If the quartet were to perform at the White House alongside Lady Gaga, it would mark the second collaboration between the artists since their track “Sour Candy” from Gaga’s 2020 album “Chromatica.”
Next month, Blackpink will make history as the first K-pop group to headline Coachella. On Friday, Jisoo will be the final group member to make her solo debut with the single album “ME,” led by the title track “Flowers.”
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