The picture of the meeting between Mr Gates and Ms Park was today splashed on the front page of every national daily, some of which cropped out the offending pocketed hand, while most chose to dramatically highlight it. "Cultural difference, or an act of disrespect?", one paper, the JoongAng Ilbo, questioned. "Disrespectful handshake? Casual handshake?" the Dong-A Ilbo asked. South Korea – a deeply hierarchical, Confucian society where etiquette has great significance – is particularly sensitive to any possible slight to its national pride. While the presidential Blue House declined to comment, many took to social networking sites to voice their opinion. "Even considering the cultural difference, there is an appropriate manner for certain occasions ... how can he put his hand in his pocket when meeting a leader of the state?" tweeted @msryu67.

Montages of Mr Gates shaking hands with other world leaders show that he sticks to a certain stance when it comes to greetings.



In a 2008 meeting with Ms Park's predecessor Lee Myung-Bak, the humanitarian also kept one hand pocketed, although a 2001 picture with then-President Kim Dae-Jung showed him adopting a more respectful, two-handed shake.



"Gates is a casual man who's not bound by customs so he shakes hands in this manner even when meeting heads of international organisations or top political figures," Dong-A Ilbo quoted an unnamed friend of his in Seoul as saying.



Some Koreans suggested the media criticism was misplaced.



"Please, people ... don't think your Confucian mindset is a universal norm elsewhere in the world," tweeted @itanomaly.



Mr Gates was in South Korea as chairman of the nuclear start-up TerraPower, promoting its project to develop a next-generation nuclear reactor.



Ms Park was seeking the Microsoft founder's advice on her plans to build a "creative economy".