Recurring 'Uk-ilgi Vehicle' Found on Road This Time
Retaliatory Driving Following Inconsiderate Parking... "Retaliation After Being Cursed At"
Recently, there have been multiple reports of vehicles displaying the Rising Sun Flag, and now a story has emerged that one such vehicle engaged in retaliatory driving against another vehicle that insulted it, sparking controversy.
'Rising Sun Flag Vehicle' Found Near Jukam Rest Area in the Direction of Daejeon. Photo by Online Community Capture
On the 8th, a post titled "Rising Sun Flag Mercedes" was uploaded to an online community. The author, Mr. A, said, "Yesterday (the 7th) around 5 p.m., I saw a vehicle with the Rising Sun Flag while passing the Jukam Rest Area heading toward Daejeon," adding, "At first, I couldn't believe my eyes." The Rising Sun Flag was a military flag used by Japan during World War II and symbolizes Japanese militarism. It was especially used as a military flag by the army and navy during invasions of various Asian countries in the Pacific War. Although its use was temporarily halted after Japan's defeat in 1945, the flag was used again as a military flag starting in 1954, less than ten years later, which has been a source of controversy.
In the photos shared by Mr. A, two Rising Sun Flags are seen side by side on the rear window of a white Mercedes vehicle. It is presumed to be the same vehicle as the so-called "Rising Sun Flag Mercedes" that recently stirred heated discussions on online communities and social media (SNS).
According to Mr. A, unable to tolerate seeing the Rising Sun Flag, he opened his window and shouted insults and made obscene gestures at the vehicle displaying the flag. In response, the Rising Sun Flag vehicle retaliated with aggressive driving instead of apologizing. Mr. A explained the situation at the time, saying, "I insulted them with the intention of making them remove the Rising Sun Flag, but I never expected to be subjected to retaliatory driving." He added, "I had only heard about these vehicles on SNS, but this was the first time I saw one in person," and criticized, "How can they roam around in the Republic of Korea like that?"
Netizens who read the story responded with comments such as, "Is this Korea or Japan?" "If you like Japan so much, go live there," "If you display the Rising Sun Flag, you should be prepared to be insulted," "They keep causing trouble endlessly," "They're pro-Japanese collaborators," "I hope people like that leave Korea and live elsewhere," "They seem to have some issues," and "Mercedes should sue them."
Meanwhile, sightings of vehicles displaying the Rising Sun Flag have been steadily reported since April. In June, a story surfaced that the vehicle blocked the entrance to an apartment complex by parking there, causing public outrage. The witness, Mr. A, said, "There are parking spaces inside the apartment complex, but they are parking in a way that causes inconvenience," and appealed, "It's very uncomfortable from the residents' perspective."
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