'No Rising Sun flag at Women's World Cup'
Seo Kyung-duk. Korea Times file
By Yi Whan-woo
A professor who has been countering the legacy of Imperial Japan worldwide will begin a campaign to prevent Japan's Rising Sun flag from being used at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2019.
Seo Kyung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women's University, asked Korean football fans to report to him immediately if they spot a Rising Sun flag at the World Cup in France from June 7 to July 7.
The campaign comes after repeated use of the Rising Sun flag at international sporting events and other occasions, despite Koreans' protests.
Many Koreans and Chinese see it as a symbol of Japan's past military aggression and colonization and insist it should be banned from display on all occasions.
It is used by Japan's Self-Defense Forces as well as Japanese sports fans on top of their national flag.
Both Korea and Japan are among the 24 qualifiers for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2019.
In this Feb. 22, 2013, file photo, a Japanese protester holds the rising sun flag and Japanese flag during a rally against South Korea in Tokyo. Yonhap
“You are encouraged to report to me immediately if you see it, whether you are watching the games on site, on television or on your smartphones,” Suh said.
To collect proof and file a complaint to FIFA, Suh asked people to take photos or capture images and email him at
.
Suh mobilized a previous anti-Rising Sun flag campaign during the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
FIFA had posted a photo of fans posing with the controversial flag on Instagram but removed it after Suh lodged a protest.
“I will take action promptly when this happens again at the France World Cup,” he said.