A controversy has arisen over a snack box provided in the special class of the Suseo high-speed railroad (SRT) featuring a design resembling the Japanese flag on a picture of a turtle ship.
On the 9th, photos of a box featuring an illustration of the turtle ship, along with the phrase 'Romantic trip to Yeosu on the SRT,' were shared on online communities.
The flag drawn on the back of the turtle ship on the box had a red sun pattern resembling the national flag of Japan.
Professor Seo Kyung-deok of Sungshin Women's University confirmed this and posted on his SNS (social networking service), criticizing, "It is unacceptable to display the Japanese flag on Admiral Yi Sun-sin's turtle ship."
He emphasized, "This is not just a simple design mistake, but a serious issue stemming from ignorance and indifference towards historical symbols, and the SRT side must take responsibility instead of shifting it to the manufacturer."
He urged, "The erroneous snack boxes should be disposed of entirely, and a system check is necessary to prevent recurrence."
In response to this, SR, the operator of the SRT, stated, "We will recall and dispose of all problematic snack boxes, review our contract with the manufacturer, and strengthen our internal inspection process to implement measures to prevent recurrence," adding, "We sincerely apologize to everyone affected by this issue."