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It was the first time in 14 years since the 2009 final that Japan and South Korea played in the WBC, and there was a lot of interest in the "fated rivalry showdown" in South Korea as well. When the game started, baseball fans cheered in the sports bars in central Seoul. In the match, the Japanese national team defeated the Korean national team 13-4. Fans voiced disappointment at the result of the complete defeat in Korea.
Meanwhile, South Korean media pointed out that a man wearing glasses raised the rising sun flag in the stands before the game. South Korea's Yonhap news agency said, "The rising sun flag is seen in South Korea as a symbol of Japan's past militarism because it was hoisted in the late 19th century when Japan began its invasion of Asian countries. The rising sun flag is to Asian countries what the Nazi swastika is to European countries."
For this reason, many people in South Korea express dissatisfaction with the rising sun flag, and this issue has often caused controversy between Japan and South Korea. In 2019, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee of the South Korean National Assembly adopted a resolution calling on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Organizing Committee to ban the use of the Rising Sun Flag at the venues of the Tokyo Olympics. bottom. In response to this, when the IOC received a letter from the South Korean government requesting a ban on bringing the Rising Sun flag into the Olympics, the IOC responded, "If there is a problem at the Olympics, we will consider handling it on a case-by-case basis." In South Korea, the use of the rising sun flag has been effectively approved, and the opposition has strengthened. In addition, the Organizing Committee of the Games said, "The Rising Sun flag design is widely used in Japan, and it does not constitute a political statement or discriminate, so it does not fall under the prohibition of bringing it in."
However, the Tokyo Olympics will be held without spectators due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus. At the time of the decision, South Korean media reported that the Rising Sun flag, which had demoralized the Korean athletes at every international competition, would disappear.
In addition, at the international fleet review held in Japan in November last year, the South Korean side was concerned that the Rising Sun flag would be hoisted over the flag of the Maritime Self-Defense Force, and repeatedly considered whether to participate in the fleet review until the last minute. However, considering the importance of exchanges between the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the South Korean military, he eventually decided to participate.
Furthermore, at the FIFA (International Football Federation) World Cup Qatar 2022 held in the same month, Korean media viewed Japanese supporters waving the rising sun flag during the match between Japan and Costa Rica as a problem. "Some fans cheered by waving the Rising Sun flag, while others hung the Rising Sun flag on the railings of the stadium. The Rising Sun flag disappeared from the stadium thanks to the swift action of those involved in the games."
And this time, the Rising Sun flag was once again raised at an international tournament, and the Korean newspaper Hankyoreh reported that "concerns have become reality." On top of that, the newspaper said, "The WBC, which is led by the major league secretariat and the players' union in the United States, does not have any special provisions sanctioning the support of the rising sun flag, which is a symbol of Japan's militarism. It's different from the FIFA-led soccer World Cup, which strictly prohibits words and actions. For that reason, some Japanese media reported that 'There is no problem with cheering for the rising sun flag at the WBC.'"
2023/03/17 09:26 KST
