Gestures, like the Corna, are considered rude in some parts of the world.
The South Korean press and blogosphere are divided on Bill Gates' handshake on his recent visit to the country. Some saw his stance as too casual for an important meeting with a head of state.
South Korea, along with most Asian countries, places a huge emphasis on formality and deferential gestures when meeting any dignitary – especially a president.
On the other hand, some Korean netizens are tweeting that Gates is known for his relaxed style worldwide. Koreans, they say, shouldn't hold him to such high standards when visiting their country for a goodwill mission.
One image circulating on the Internet even shows Gates shaking hands in the same manner with two previous presidents: Lee Myung-bak and Kim Dae-jung. Why not the outrage for them?
GlobalPost thought it was a great teaching moment to illustrate gestures considered to be rude or disrespectful elsewhere in the world:
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