Korean Air Force Black Eagles Called "Paochai-gi"... Previously Edited Taegeukgi with COVID-19 Image

"Did a Taiwanese Broadcaster Mock the Korean Air Force?"
Subtitle 'Paochai-gi' Removed from Video Now

Currently, TVBS has mosaicked the subtitle 'Paochaigi' in the problematic video. Photo by TVBS.

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Taiwanese broadcaster TVBS has sparked controversy by calling the South Korean Air Force's special flight team, the 'Black Eagles,' "Paochai-gi" (泡菜機). This media outlet previously caused a stir in March by superimposing the COVID-19 virus shape onto the Taegeukgi (South Korean flag).

TVBS recently reported that the Black Eagles attended an airshow held in the Philippines, refueled in Taiwan, and then returned to Korea. In a segment introducing the domestically produced supersonic trainer T-50, the media used the caption "Korea-US joint Paochai-gi T-50." This was intended to mean that Korean netizens nickname the domestic fighter jet "Kimchigi," but some interpreted it as a derogatory remark toward Korea.

The bigger issue is that the media used "Paochai," a term for Chinese pickled vegetables, instead of the official Chinese term for kimchi, "Xinqi" (辛奇). Recently, China has claimed as part of its Northeast Project that kimchi originated from paochai. As a result, comments on the related YouTube video and domestic online communities have erupted with criticism, stating that "the Taiwanese broadcaster mocked the South Korean Air Force."

Currently, TVBS has mosaicked the "Paochai-gi" caption in the problematic video.

TVBS was criticized for using an image of the Taegeukgi with a superimposed illustration of the COVID-19 virus in a report on March 16. Photo by TVBS news footage capture.

Earlier, on March 16, TVBS also faced backlash for using an image that superimposed the COVID-19 virus onto the Taegeukgi while reporting on Korea's COVID-19 situation.

As the controversy grew, TVBS posted an apology on its homepage on April 19. The media stated, "During the process of reporting on Korea's COVID-19 situation, we inappropriately created an image combining the Taegeukgi and the coronavirus pattern." They acknowledged the lack of skill in production and expressed sincere apologies to the people of the Republic of Korea. They added, "The problematic video was immediately deleted, and we plan to review internally and prepare improvement measures." They concluded by bowing deeply and apologizing once again to the Korean people.