hankyoreh

one flagpole is empty after the North Korean flag was removed due to controversy from conservatives

By Park Kyung-man, north Gyeonggi correspondent and Kim Yong-hwan, Incheon correspondent

North Korea’s flag was displayed on nearby streets during the 2002 Asian Games in Busan and the 2003 Summer Universiade in Daegu - but it won’t be visible during the upcoming Asian Games in Incheon.

Later, the Supreme Prosecutors Office held a meeting to respond to the flag controversy and make guidelines for flags, with participation by the Ministry of Unification and National Intelligence Service. The prosecutors decided that South Korean nationals will be banned from possessing the North Korean flag or bringing it to stadiums. Such actions would violate the National Security Law. North Korean flags can only be handled during award ceremonies at the stadiums or in the athletes’ residences. And North Korean athletes will be allowed to bring the flag when supporting other North Korean athletes.

According to accounts on Sept. 11 from the Asian Games organizing committee and the city of Goyang, the committee removed all flags for the 45 participants, including eight North Korean flags, that had been on display in host city Incheon and partner cities like Goyang ahead of the Games’ opening on Sept. 19.

On Sept. 5, the committee began displaying the flags of the 45 countries at 49 event sites in nine regions in accordance with Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) rules. The regions included Incheon; the cities of Suwon, Bucheon, Goyang, Ansan, Anyang, Hanam, and Hwaseong in Gyeonggi Province; the district of Yangcheon in Seoul; and Chungju, North Chungcheong Province.

But two North Korea flags were later removed on Sept. 9 after ideological opposition from conservative groups and news outlets, which objected to the “display of North Korean flags out in the open in Goyang” after the emblems were hung in the streets near Goyang Sports Complex and Goyang Gym, both venues where North Korean athletes are competing.

The following day, six more North Korea flags were taken down from the streets around Incheon Asiad Main Stadium Plaza and Dream Park, a venue for equestrian events. In response to the uproar over the removal, the organization committee decided to take down all national flags, allowing their display only at the venues, the airport, the international conference site, and the athletes’ village.

“After some members of the public objected to the North Korean flags being displayed in the street, we discussed the issue with the government and decided to replace it with banners for the OCA and the event’s emblem,” explained a committee source.

“We‘re concerned that it could lead to a bigger diplomatic problem if some South Koreans take advantage of lax security to deface a North Korean flag,” the source added.

OCA regulations state that flags for all entrant nations are allowed to be freely flown at and nearby Asian Games event venues.

“I don’t care if we are a divided country - it’s a national embarrassment to apply ideological standards for what’s supposed to be purely a sporting event,” said a 50-year-old Goyang resident named Choi who observed the debate.

North Korea is planning to have 150 athletes compete at 14 events in the games, including soccer.

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]