Why do Korean protesters wave American flags?

Participants stand outside the Olympic Handball Gymnasium in Seoul's Songpa District on Jun. 12 during a continuing protest condemning the ballot shortage that occurred during South Korea's Jun. 3 local elections. Yonhap

SEATTLE — As protests over South Korea's ballot shortage controversy continue, many foreign observers are asking an unusual question: Why are American flags being waved at a protest over a Korean election?

Images from the demonstrations show participants carrying U.S. flags alongside South Korean national flags, renewing a long-running debate over the symbolism of the Stars and Stripes in Korean politics.

The question has surfaced across social media platforms including Reddit, X and Threads, where expatriates and international observers have debated why a foreign flag has become a recurring feature at some Korean political rallies.

"It's so bizarre seeing so many American flags," one user wrote.

"It's not really about America," one commenter responded, arguing that the flag has come to symbolize anti-communism and conservative political identity in South Korea.

Others pointed to the history of the U.S.-South Korea alliance and the Korean War, saying the flag has long been associated with support for the alliance and opposition to North Korea.

Several commenters said the symbolism has evolved over time.

"The U.S. flag was originally about the alliance, but now it's become associated with the Korean right," one user wrote in a discussion about the latest protests.

The sight of American flags at Korean political rallies is not new. U.S. flags were commonly seen during demonstrations supporting former President Park Geun-hye following her impeachment in 2017 and later at rallies backing former President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The sight of American flags at political demonstrations is not unique to South Korea.

Protesters in places including Hong Kong, Taiwan and Ukraine have at times displayed U.S. flags as symbols of support for closer ties with Washington or to draw international attention to their causes. But the regular appearance of American flags at Korean political rallies has become a familiar feature of many conservative demonstrations in South Korea.

Critics see the flags differently. In a Threads discussion about the phenomenon, one user argued that the flags are often disconnected from the United States itself.

South Korean and U.S. flags lie among discarded protest materials after a demonstration, an image cited by critics who argue that the American flag is often used as a political symbol rather than as an expression of support for the United States. Captured from Threads

"When the event is over, some of those flags end up in trash cans," the user wrote. "It's using America as a political prop."

The issue has also drawn attention beyond social media. In a recent court case involving an election observer who wore a large U.S. flag while monitoring voting, a South Korean court said the symbol could be interpreted as conveying political messages in the contemporary Korean context, including anti-communism, support for the alliance and positions associated with election-related controversies.

The discussions continue across social media, where foreign observers have sought to understand the meaning behind a symbol that has become a familiar sight at certain Korean political rallies.