Controversy Over Hanbok at Beijing Winter Olympics... Lee Jae-myung "Opposes Cultural Appropriation"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized the appearance of Hanbok at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics on the 5th, calling it 'cultural appropriation.'

The candidate mentioned on his social media (SNS), "Do not covet culture, oppose cultural appropriation."

At the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics held the previous night, representatives from various sectors of society and 56 ethnic groups participated in a performance called 'Ordinary Citizens Passing the National Flag,' where a woman wearing an outfit resembling Hanbok appeared.

Recently, China has been calling Korea's traditional clothing Hanbok 'Hanfu' and claiming it as traditional attire of the Han ethnic group. Because of this, voices of concern about China's cultural encroachment have been raised in academia and political circles.

Lee So-young, spokesperson for the Democratic Party's election campaign committee, also stated on SNS on the 5th, "This is not the first time China has introduced Korean culture as its own," and expressed "deep regret once again over the appearance of Hanbok as the attire of China's ethnic minorities at the Beijing Winter Olympics opening ceremony."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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