Democratic Party lawmaker proposes resolution opposing Rising Sun Flag in Ntl. Assembly  

Posted on : 2019-10-02 17:28 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
Flag would make 2020 Tokyo Olympics an “anti-peace Olympics”
Democratic Party lawmaker An Min-suk proposes a National Assembly resolution opposing the use of Japan’s Rising Sun Flag during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Sept. 30. (provided by the National Assembly)
Democratic Party lawmaker An Min-suk proposes a National Assembly resolution opposing the use of Japan’s Rising Sun Flag during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Sept. 30. (provided by the National Assembly)

“If you have the Rising Sun Flag flying in the Olympic stadium, then it becomes not a ‘peace Olympics,’ but an ‘anti-peace Olympics.’”

An Min-suk, a Democratic Party lawmaker who sponsored a National Assembly resolution on Sept. 30 calling for measures to prohibit the Rising Sun Flag from carried into venues for the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo, explained on Oct. 1 that the flying of the flags in venues for the Tokyo Olympics “is completely unacceptable, as the Republic of Korea would be watching a shameful episode in history after being scarred by Japanese militarist invasions in the past.”

The resolution in question passed the National Assembly on Sept. 30 by bipartisan consensus, with 196 out of 199 votes in favor. It called for a ban on the Rising Sun Flag within venues during the Tokyo Summer Olympics and Paralympics, as well as any uniforms or items using its design and cheering activities involving the flag.

“The Olympic Charter (Article 50-3) prohibits political acts of any kind within Olympic venues,” An noted. “The Rising Sun Flag at the Tokyo Olympics would be an act symbolically representing [Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo] Abe’s aims to revive militarism.”

With parallels to the swastika used by the Nazis in Germany, the Rising Sun Flag is a symbol of Japan’s history as a perpetrator of war crimes and the country responsible for starting the Pacifid War In Japan, however, the flag is claimed to represent the Self-Defense Corps, while the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been conscious of starting issues with the host country. On Sept. 11, the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) protested the use of the Rising Sun Flag to the IOC and requested a ban on it; in response, IOC President Thomas Bach said the matter would be considered on a case-by-case basis.

An said Bach’s response meant the Rising Sun Flag would “essentially be permitted.”

“Not only does the IOC not want any problems with the financial performance of the Tokyo Olympics, but of the 10 biggest global businesses sponsoring the committee, only one of them – Samsung – is South Korea, while Japan has three with Sony, Panasonic, and Bridgestone,” he said.

“Of course they are going to favor Japan, which is a powerful funder providing three times as much support as us,” he continued. Despite the resolution’s passage by the National Assembly, global support will also be needed going forward from North Korea, China, and other East Asian countries, as well as the US and the countries of Europe.

On Oct. 9, An plans to visit the Japanese Olympic Organizing Committee with the secretaries of three parties on the National Assembly Education, Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee to deliver a copy of the resolution. Additional plans include a visit to the IOC to protest and pursue cooperation with North Korea, as well as a representatives’ meeting sometime this month with East Asia countries that suffered invasions by imperial Japan in the past, including China, Singapore, and Vietnam.

“At this time, it will be difficult stopping [the use of] the Rising Sun Flag,” An said.

“But we intend to pursue solidarity among countries that love peace – South and North Korea, East Asia, the US, and Europe – to prevent [the flags] from being taken into the venues,” he added.

By Hong Yong-duk, South Gyeonggi correspondent

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