Korea files official complaint for highlighting Japanese warlord in ceremony
A performer, second from left, depicting Japanese warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi appears during a ceremony welcoming the cruise ship Costa Serena to Nagoya, Japan, Tuesday. AFP-Yonhap
NAGOYA, Japan — The top Korean sports body said Thursday it has filed an official complaint with the organizing committee of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games for highlighting a Japanese warlord that invaded Korea during a recent ceremony.
The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) said it sent the same complaint to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) on Wednesday, a day after a person dressed as Toyotomi Hideyoshi appeared in the welcome ceremony for the cruise ship Costa Serena, which will serve as a floating hotel for some 4,000 athletes and officials.
The ceremony featured Hideyoshi, Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu, three warlords born in and around Nagoya.
Hideyoshi was the mastermind behind the Japanese invasions of Korea from 1592 to 1598, also known as the Imjin War. While Nagoya leans into the legacy of the three figures to promote its history and culture, the appearance of Hideyoshi drew the ire of the Korean public, especially since the slogan of this year's Asian Games is "Imagine One Asia."
The KSOC said its president, Ryu Seung-min, expressed his regret over the incident and demanded the prevention of a recurrence.
After arriving in Nagoya earlier Thursday, Lee Sang-hyun, chef de mission for Korea, said while he respects the Japanese local culture, "It is regrettable that they did not show consideration for our delegation."
"However, our job is to concentrate on the competition and perform as well as we can, instead of becoming too conscious of the issue," Lee added.
The KSOC added it had not yet heard back from either the organizing committee or the OCA as of Thursday afternoon.
However, in a response to an earlier inquiry by Yonhap News Agency, the organizing committee said the appearance of Hideyoshi "was not intended to endorse any particular historical figure, nor to convey any historical message."
"We recognize that the Asian Games bring together a diverse range of athletes and stakeholders from many countries and regions, and that ceremonies and other forms of expression may be interpreted in different ways by different audiences," the committee added. "We will continue to ensure that all programs and content are appropriate for an international sporting event, and we remain committed to warmly welcoming athletes and stakeholders from across Asia and contributing to the success of the Games."
Some in Korea recalled the Japanese protest of Korean banners at the athletes' village during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics that paid homage to a famous quote from Admiral Yi Sun-shin during the Imjin War, and claimed that Japan was being hypocritical in highlighting Hideyoshi this week.
Yi, one of the most revered historical figures in Korea, is believed to have told King Seonjo of the Joseon Dynasty, "I still have 12 battleships left," and then maneuvered those vessels to take down some 300 enemy ships.
The banner for the Korean athletes read, "I still have support from 50 million Korean people."
Following a protest by a far-right Japanese political party, the International Olympic Committee stepped in and asked Korea to remove the banners.