Doctor Displaying Rising Sun Flag on Memorial Day: "Will Do the Same on Constitution Day and Liberation Day"

Controversy Over Rising Sun Flag on Memorial Day at Busan Apartment
Perpetrator, Dissatisfied with Local Government, Commits Crime
Personal Information Including Occupation, Hospital Name, and Face Revealed
Netizens Outraged: "Doctor's License Should Be Revoked"

A resident of an apartment in Busan faced backlash for hanging a Rising Sun Flag on Memorial Day, a day honoring the country’s fallen heroes. As the controversy grew, the resident quietly took down the flag, but angry netizens revealed the resident’s personal information on social media and online communities.

On the 6th, a banner with the phrase "Civil-Government Joint Fraud" alongside the Rising Sun Flag, a symbol of Japanese militarism, was hung at an apartment in Busan. Resident A, who lives in the apartment, reportedly had been periodically displaying the Japanese national flag (Iljanggi) but switched it to the Rising Sun Flag on the morning of Memorial Day.

An image of a mixed-use residential and commercial apartment in Busan displaying the Rising Sun Flag, a symbol associated with Japanese imperialism, on the 6th, Memorial Day (left), and the front door of a resident who displayed the Rising Sun Flag lined with food waste and flyers. Please note that severe profanity has been pixelated. [Image source=Social Networking Service (SNS) capture, Yonhap News]

A’s act of hanging the Rising Sun Flag drew heavy criticism across various social media platforms and online communities. As the controversy escalated, the police and local government officials visited the residence to persuade A to take down the flag, but only found a note on the door stating "No one is home due to travel," with no response from anyone inside.

A claims that this act was intended to publicize the unfairness of the local government office in Suyeong District, Busan, with whom A has been in conflict. A has stated that if the issue is not resolved, the Rising Sun Flag will also be displayed on Constitution Day and Liberation Day. Resident B said, "A previously lost an administrative lawsuit against the Suyeong District Office regarding the apartment’s sewage system," adding, "At one point, A was so proactive that notices about the related issues were placed in every unit’s mailbox." The Rising Sun Flag was quietly removed around 10:30 p.m. the previous day.

After A’s personal information was revealed, the controversy intensified. Initially, it was speculated that A was Japanese, but it was later confirmed that A is Korean and works as a doctor. Personal details, including the real name and hospital affiliation of the person believed to be A, were disclosed. During this process, a doctor with the same name was mistakenly implicated, causing the hospital’s website to crash due to the influx of visitors.

Currently, the police and local government are reviewing whether the act violates the Outdoor Advertising Act. Professor Seokyung Deok from Sungshin Women’s University expressed anger on his social media, saying, "This clearly crossed the line," and added, "At times like this, instead of just condemning and being angry, we should use this incident as an opportunity to enact strong punishment laws to prevent such incidents from happening again."

Netizens who learned of the incident responded with comments such as "There’s no need for separate pro-Japanese collaborators," "The doctor’s license should be revoked," "The Rising Sun Flag on Memorial Day crossed the line," "Why isn’t there any punishment?" and "Our ancestors must be watching from the heavens and be furious." Some netizens even went to A’s front door to express their anger directly by placing what appeared to be food waste and attaching critical notes calling A a "native Japanese collaborator" (Tochak Waegu).