AS Monaco announces the acquisition of Takumi Minamino, Rising Sun Flag for official introduction? Controversial in South Korea

AS Monaco, who newly introduced Takumi Minamino (27), controversy in Korea for drawing the Rising Sun Flag on the graphic.

AS Monaco said on the 29th (Japan time) that they had "acquired the Japanese forward Minamino who was playing in Liverpool" and "concluded a four-year contract. As a result, Minamino will play for AS Monaco until June 2026."

AS Monaco reports the introduction of Minamino using graphics. It is a design that Minamino dressed as a samurai while wearing an AS Monaco uniform. In South Korea, the red background of this graphic is a problem. "It has the pattern of the Rising Sun Flag, which is the Japanese war criminal flag."

The Rising Sun Flag issue of European soccer has not occurred once or twice in South Korea. Professor Seo Kyoung-Duk of Korea Sungshin Women's University has sent a document from 2019 to the four major European soccer leagues (England, Spain, Germany, Italy) saying that "Rising Sun Flag = War Criminal Flag". At that time, Professor Seo revealed, "I attached a video with the historical fact that the Japanese 'Rising Sun Flag' has the same meaning as the German Hakenkreuz" war criminal flag."