Seoul’s Quick Switch‑Up: The “No Japan” Banners Vanish Overnight
In a swift dash resembling a choreographer’s last‑minute cue, Seoul’s Jung‑gu district pulled down more than a thousand anti‑Japan flags by the end of the day on Tuesday, Aug 6—if you’re still holding a copy of a 2023 Wikipedia page you’ll find this story on the “ On Tuesday, a wave of anti‑Japanese protest…” heading.
Where it Happened
Picture the roaring traffic in Myeong‑dong, the shimmering Deoksugung Palace in the evening light, and the buzzing Namdaemun Market. Above it all, towering lampposts were draped in banners that read:
- “NO”—but the “O” was a bold, red circle, echoing the Japanese flag.
- “I won’t go (to Japan), I will not buy (Japanese products).”
The intent? To shove a trade‑romantic, “I’m back‑arising from our colonial bruise!” vibe into the streets.
Why the Sudden Back‑Track?
Just last Friday, Tokyo and Seoul scrubbed each other from their “trusted trade partners” lists after a flurry of South Korean court rulings told Japanese companies to pay for wartime forced labour. Tokyo then tossed in some hard‑handed export limits aimed at tech giants like Samsung. Korea’s reaction? A wave of anger, a torrent of boycotts, a banner‑chasing frenzy.
One hundred and twenty‑five and a day later, almost 70 % of Koreans had a “negative” stance toward Japan’s former colonial ruler, and they were flinging both cars and pens into the trash.
Then the Public Speech
Politicians on both sides downloaded these tense days with political thriller vibes, but what 20,000 Koreans did that afternoon was writing a petition that said, “Stop forcing us to boycott like a parlor trick; it’s up to us!”
- “This boycott should be on an individual basis, not a government‑orchestrated display of anti‑Japan sentiment,” one vented.
- Another cannonaged, “Japanese tourists are not our enemies.”
Jung‑gu’s Apology
Jung‑gu’s district head, Seo Yang‑ho, slid onto Facebook, slipped in an apology, and admitted the banners mis‑stepped to “further the idea that a boycott should remain on a voluntary basis.” No hard feelings, folks! The banners went from lampposts to the lining.
When the trade war between South Korea and Japan sputters to a suspicious pause, one thing remains clear: even though business might stick to its guns, the people are quick to catch a misstep, rally, and, if necessary, make a banner that vanishes faster than your last Snapchat story.
