South Korea makes Asian Games complaint over Japan warlord ceremony
· CNA · JoinRead a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
SEOUL: South Korea's Olympic committee said on Friday (Sep 18) it filed a complaint with Asian Games organisers in Nagoya for featuring a Japanese warlord at a welcoming ceremony.
The event on Tuesday included a person dressed as Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who led Japan's invasions of Korea in 1592-1598, and the ceremony prompted a backlash in South Korea.
Historical issues are sensitive between South Korea and Japan, with Hideyoshi's invasion a significant episode in Korean history and Korea later under Japanese colonial rule from 1910 to 1945.
Three Japanese warlord characters were present for the arrival of a cruise ship in Nagoya that will serve as a floating hotel for thousands of Games athletes.
CNA Games
Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time
Buzzword
Create words using the given letters
Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser
Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge
Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
Show More
Show Less
Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) president Ryu Seung-min sent a letter to the local organising committee and the Olympic Council of Asia "expressing regret and calling for measures to prevent a recurrence", a KSOC spokeswoman told AFP.
Organisers said the performance was "not intended to praise specific historical figures or convey historical messages".
"We recognise that the Asian Games bring together a diverse group of athletes and officials from many countries and regions, and that ceremonies and other forms of expression may be interpreted in various ways," they said.
"We will continue to ensure that our programs and content are appropriate for an international competition, and we wholeheartedly welcome the athletes and officials from Asian countries and regions."
Seoul-Tokyo ties have often been strained over Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
During that period, about 780,000 Koreans were conscripted into forced labour, according to Seoul data, a figure that does not include women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military.
Newsletter
Week in Review
Subscribe to our Chief Editor’s Week in Review
Our chief editor shares analysis and picks of the week's biggest news every Saturday.
Newsletter
Morning Brief
Subscribe to CNA’s Morning Brief
An automated curation of our top stories to start your day.
Sign up for our newsletters
Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app