Ansan Apologizes for 'Traitor' Controversy: "Pride in the Republic of Korea"

"I sincerely apologize to the CEO, franchise owners, everyone working in the food service industry, and the public who have been hurt by my recent words and actions."

Archery athlete An San, who posted a photo of a Japanese restaurant along with an image labeled "traitor" on social media (SNS), finally posted an apology on her SNS on the 19th.

I am Ansan, a former national archery team athlete.
[Photo by Yonhap News, Ansan Instagram]

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She wrote, "I never imagined that a post carelessly uploaded while forgetting my duties as a public figure would cause such great disappointment and harm," adding, "I wanted to visit the business owner in person to apologize, but it was difficult due to scheduling conflicts," and "I tried to express my apology by contacting them. If given another chance, I will visit in person to apologize."

She continued, "Since I was 17, I have lived as a national archery athlete and have had great pride in South Korea," and "I have worked hard to raise the Taegeukgi flag to the highest place as a representative athlete of the country for a long time."

An San stated, "However, after the national team selection, I lost the tension expected of a public figure," and "I never intended to disparage any specific store or individual, but regardless of the reason, I realize that the harm and emotional wounds caused by my words and actions to everyone are beyond what I could have imagined."

Finally, she expressed, "This incident made me deeply realize the weight of being a public figure, and I understood that I must mature more as a person," and "I will use this as an opportunity to grow into a more mature person. Once again, I sincerely apologize to everyone."

[Photo by Ansan Instagram]

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The controversy began earlier when An San posted a photo of an electronic signboard with Japanese characters meaning "International Flight Departure (to Japan)" on the 16th. She wrote, "Why are there so many traitors in Korea?" and this post quickly spread through online communities.

The place she referred to is the interior of a Japanese-style restaurant located in the Cheomdan district of Gwangju Metropolitan City. It is known as a domestic brand chain operating with the concept of an izakaya (Japanese-style pub) selling dishes like nabe.

Subsequently, Kwon Soon-ho, the CEO of the Japanese-style pub brand, posted on his SNS on the 17th, "Due to the controversy, I have received a considerable number of messages, and in an instant, I became a descendant of pro-Japanese collaborators. The franchise owners, including myself, have received malicious comments calling us traitors and wishing us dead," expressing difficulty in handling the situation as an inexperienced CEO, which further escalated the controversy.

Meanwhile, according to the National Police Agency and others, the Self-Employed Solidarity, a nationwide association of self-employed business owners, filed a complaint against An San for defamation.

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