"7 Million Business Owners Insulted" Self-Employed Group Files Defamation Suit Against Ansan Over 'Traitor' Controversy

Ansan, 'Traitor' Remark at Japanese-Style Pub
Self-Employed Group Files Defamation Lawsuit
"Insult to 7 Million Owners... Apologize and Compensate"

Ansang, who achieved a triple crown in archery at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, was sued for defamation by a self-employed business group after posting a photo on social networking services (SNS) with the words "maegukno" (traitor to the country) written on a Japanese-style pub.

On the 19th, the National Police Agency announced that a complaint had been filed alleging that Ansang insulted and defamed all self-employed business owners. The complainant is the self-employed business group "Self-Employed Solidarity," which claims that Ansang insulted all decent self-employed business owners by calling the Japanese-style pub a "maegukno."

They stated, "Ansang insulted not only the brand representative and franchise owners of the pub in question but also self-employed business owners selling Japanese-style food and the 7 million shop owners who quietly run their stores every day with reckless claims," demanding a responsible apology and compensation from Ansang.

Ansan player (left), post published by Ansan player (right) [Image source=Yonhap News, Ansan player Instagram]

Earlier, on the 16th, Ansang posted a photo of a Japanese electronic signboard that read "際線 出 (日本行) International Departure (to Japan)" on her Instagram story, adding the caption, "Why are there so many maegukno (traitors) in Korea?" The signboard was at the entrance of a Japanese-themed street inside a shopping mall in Gwangju. Although the store name was not shown, the signboard had the name of a dining brand chain located there.

As Ansang's remarks became a hot topic, the representative of the company, Mr. Kwon, appealed on SNS on the 17th, saying, "Due to the resulting rumors and speculation, I have suddenly become a descendant of pro-Japanese collaborators, and my brand has become a maeguk brand," and reported receiving a flood of malicious comments. Gwangju Bank, to which Ansang belongs, stated, "Ansang has conveyed her intention to release a statement soon."

Meanwhile, Ansang is a South Korean archer who won three gold medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics: mixed team gold, women's team gold, and women's individual gold, achieving a triple crown. However, she ranked 21st out of 24 in the third national team selection for 2024 and failed to make the top 16, thus missing the chance to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics.