Korean School Anthem Broadcast Live Across Japan... TV Station Rendered 'Donghae' as 'East Sea'

Kyoto Kokusai High School, Winner of Koshien
NHK Broadcasted Korean School Song with Different Meaning

Professor Seokyeongdeok of Sungshin Women's University protested against a Japanese broadcasting station that incorrectly transcribed the Korean school anthem. During the quarterfinals of the Japan National High School Baseball Championship 'Koshien,' Kyoto International High School, a Korean ethnic school for Zainichi Koreans, won, but the Japanese public broadcaster NHK, which aired the live broadcast, transmitted the Korean school anthem lyrics differently from their original meaning.

On the 21st, Professor Seokyeongdeok pointed out on Facebook that the anthem of Kyoto International High School begins in Korean with "Donghae bada geonneoseo Yamado ttaneun georukhan uri josang yejeok kkumjari" (Across the East Sea, the Yamato land is the sacred dream place of our ancestors), but NHK distorted some of the lyrics.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Professor Seokyeongdeok said, "NHK changed the proper noun 'Donghae' (East Sea) to 'the eastern sea' in the Japanese subtitles during the broadcast, and the lyrics 'Korean academy' were also transmitted as 'Korea-Japan academy,' which differs from the original meaning," adding, "I sent a protest email to NHK, pointing out that it was a clear mistake for NHK to transcribe the proper noun 'Donghae' as 'the eastern sea.'" He emphasized, "I hope that the semifinals held on the 21st will have the correct transcription."

Professor Seokyeongdeok also expressed concern about the far-right groups in Japan posting anti-Korean content on social media (SNS) or making threatening calls to the school whenever the Korean school anthem is broadcast. He wrote, "I only hope that this school, its players, and students remain safe from the Japanese far-right groups."

Meanwhile, Kyoto International High School is a Korean ethnic school established in 1963. As of this year, it is a small Korean school with a total of 160 middle and high school students, about 65% of whom are Japanese and around 30% are Korean.

On this day, Kyoto International High School defeated Aomori Yamada High School in the semifinals and advanced to the Koshien finals for the first time. Although Kyoto International High School's baseball team was founded in 1999 and has a history of just over 20 years, it has attracted attention by reaching the finals for the first time at Koshien, known as the "dream stage" for high school baseball players in Japan. Kyoto International High School will face Kanto Daiichi High School, representing Tokyo, on the 23rd to compete for the championship cup.