



By Lee Han-na







Japanese band "Cornelius" is under fire for using a background video similar to a rising sun flag during a performance at Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival 2019, Saturday.







Because Japanese imperial forces used the flag during World War II, there has been campaign among Koreans to raise awareness of the flag, almost equating it with the Nazi swastika.







The band explained that the video had nothing to do with the flag, but was a sample of pop art from an American educational movie in the 1960s. Band members explained that there was no political intention.







On the other hand, the festival officials faced criticism for letting a Japanese band perform on the main stage, without considering the deteriorating relationship between Korea and Japan. An online user commented, "You should have paid more attention when you invited a Japanese band. I am afraid you didn't give much consideration to our current situation."







Meanwhile, other netizens showed their discomfort with the video.





"It just looks like a rising sun flag but without the color," a user wrote while others lamented the lack of awareness. One netizen said, "Is Japan really proud of World War II, all the war crimes, that people are still using the flag?"

