Newcastle, which used the 'Rising Sun Flag' for promotion, wants to recruit Korean player Lee Kang-in (24, Paris Saint-Germain).
Lee Kang-in, who has been excluded from PSG's core lineup, is consistently rumored to be transferring. Premier League teams such as Arsenal, Manchester United, and Crystal Palace have shown continued interest. There are even reports that Atletico Madrid is interested in Lee Kang-in.
Newcastle, backed by Saudi oil money power, has consistently shown interest in Lee Kang-in, which has led to transfer rumors. Lee Kang-in is a popular player boasting star power, as he has risen to the top of the club's jersey sales since his transfer to PSG.
Newcastle, which intends to recruit a Korean player, has a fundamental lack of understanding of Korean history. Newcastle committed a painful mistake by using the Rising Sun Flag, a symbol of Japanese militarism, for uniform promotion.
Newcastle unveiled its third uniform created in collaboration with Adidas through official social media on the 2nd. However, there was controversy when an individual of East Asian descent, seemingly Japanese, was seen waving a Newcastle flag depicting the Rising Sun Flag in the promotional video. The flag, which read 'NUFC JAPAN,' was in black and white but unmistakably resembled the design of the Rising Sun Flag.
The Rising Sun Flag symbolizes Japanese militarism. It carries the meaning of not forgetting the glory of the Greater East Asia War waged by Japan during World War II and preparing for war once again. The issue arises because, in the Western world, its meaning is not properly understood and it is simply regarded as a 'symbol' representing Japan.
It's not just criticism from Korean fans. British media also pointed out Newcastle's ignorance. The Sun noted, 'Newcastle used the Rising Sun Flag, which symbolizes the Imperial Japanese Army, for uniform promotion. This flag is banned in countries like Korea, China, Singapore, and Russia, which have painful histories with Japan. Moreover, Newcastle is planning tours in Singapore and Korea during the preseason,' highlighting Newcastle's mistake.
As the situation escalated, Newcastle deleted the problematic scenes from the video and published an apology. Newcastle stated, 'We received reports that a flag appeared in the video that could cause discomfort. We immediately took action to edit the video. We apologize for any discomfort caused.'
Newcastle has dismissed the absence of historical awareness as merely an issue of 'discomfort' for Korean fans. It is difficult to see Newcastle as truly understanding the problem and genuinely seeking an apology.
At this point, Lee Kang-in should also reconsider a transfer to Newcastle. No matter how good the conditions presented by Newcastle are, a Korean player transferring to a club that uses the Rising Sun Flag is simply impossible. This is especially true for Lee Kang-in, a key member of the Korean national team.
[OSEN]