SUPER JUNIOR SIWON Addresses HEECHUL's Apology Over National Flag Controversy

SUPER JUNIOR member SIWON has posted a message regarding groupmate HEECHUL, who retracted his remarks and publicly apologized over a controversy surrounding the national flag on Incheon's Liberation Day commemorative banners.

Recently, regarding HEECHUL raising an issue that the national flag on the banner was inverted and then subsequently apologizing, SIWON wrote on social media, "To add a cautious word, I have known hyung for about 23 years, so we know each other very well." He continued, "Since he isn't usually like this, but has been acting nice lately, getting older, and feeling social responsibility, he spoke with too much politeness, and it seems many people didn't catch his intention."

He added, "We are meeting next week, so I will listen to the detailed story in the 'interrogation room' then."

Previously, the two raised issues together regarding Incheon City's banners commemorating the 81st Liberation Day. The controversy spread as criticisms emerged that the Taegeuk symbol and trigrams on the national flag held by the independence activist in the banner were depicted in reverse compared to the standard form. Incheon City previously explained that the flag was not drawn incorrectly, but rather depicted from an upward angle looking up at an independence activist waving the national flag.

On the 8th, HEECHUL posted a strong-worded criticism on social media along with a photo of the banner, and SIWON joined in at the time by leaving a national flag emoji. However, just a day later on the 9th, HEECHUL apologized, stating, "I did not properly recognize the form of a person holding the national flag and got angry simply upon seeing the flag drawing for a moment," adding, "It is clearly my fault caused by a lack of spatial awareness and hastiness."

In contrast, on the 10th, SIWON posted Incheon City's banner alongside Liberation Day-related images used by other government agencies and local authorities on social media, continuing to raise the issue by stating, "I think that acknowledging and correcting the wrong part is a more responsible attitude than offering explanations."

(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)