Opposition slams ruling party for mistaking historical flags for 'subversive symbols'

The People Power Party (PPP) has drawn sharp criticism for misidentifying historical Korean flags displayed at the 81st Liberation Day ceremony as subversive symbols, with party spokespersons accusing the government of "disrespecting the national flag" and engaging in "sedition."

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It is pathetic that the People Power Party cannot even recognize the Taegeukgi.

Park Min-young and Son Su-jo, media spokespersons for the PPP, posted on Facebook claiming the flags were displayed incorrectly, with one even calling it a "new code shared by anti-state forces" and "sedition aimed at overthrowing the state." Their accusations were based on the flags' different orientations and arrangements of the four trigrams compared to the current national flag, the Taegeukgi.

However, it was revealed that the flags were historical versions used by various independence movements, including the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea and the Korean Liberation Army. The Democratic Party swiftly condemned the PPP's remarks, with floor leader Jeon Yong-gi stating, "It is pathetic that the People Power Party cannot even recognize the Taegeukgi." He emphasized that these historical flags were used by individuals who fought for national liberation and included national treasures and registered cultural heritage items.

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These historical Taegeukgi were used by the patriots who risked their lives to regain our country.

Jeon further criticized the PPP for not verifying facts before making inflammatory accusations, calling their behavior "shameful" and urging the party to apologize and hold its spokespersons accountable. The Progressive Party echoed these sentiments, calling the PPP spokespersons "fake news distributors" and demanding their immediate dismissal for their "ignorance" and "reckless slander."

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The People Power Party's media spokespersons are truly 'fake news distributors.'

The flags in question included the "Bulwonbok Taegeukgi" (meaning "Restoration is not far off"), used by an independence activist during the Korean Empire; the Taegeukgi of the Provisional Assembly of the Provisional Government; the current Taegeukgi; a Taegeukgi signed by Kim Gu, a prominent independence leader; and a Taegeukgi signed by members of the Korean Liberation Army. The differing designs and orientations were explained as being consistent with historical usage and regulations for vertical flag display, predating the standardization of the current flag's design in 1949.

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To not even recognize the Taegeukgi used by independence fighters is shameful, but to incite with false information without verifying facts is even more so.