Story perspectives

Japan’s Asian Games flag mishap sparks boos and apology calls

By Drooid · Oct 4, 2026, 6:17 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Japan organizers botch flag

Asian Games organizers in Japan failed to raise South Korea’s Taegeukgi flag at the men’s football award ceremony on Oct 3.
Host staff fumbling the rope kept the flag lowered, prompting boos from spectators.
South Korea captain Lee Ki-hyuk called the mishap regrettable if intentional.
Earlier, organizers played North Korea’s anthem instead of South Korea’s and misrouted Pakistan’s volleyball team, delaying South Korea’s bus 30 minutes.

Summary

Sharifov Suspended

Issamjon Sharifov and Aiana Bolatbekkyzy received provisional suspensions after failing anti-doping tests at the Nagoya Asian Games.
Rin Maeda was awarded a judo victory after Chinese opponent Tang Jing was disqualified for biting.
Iran’s volleyball team competed as the “Minab Angels,” honoring victims of the Feb 28 school attack.
Japan broke its own record, finishing with over 260 medals, surpassing the 218 won in Hiroshima 1994.

Summary

Faker Calls Reform

Lee Sang-hyeok “Faker” called South Korea’s 50-year-old military exemption system outdated.
Yonhap news agency urged reform, saying the baseball win “symbolically reflects changed times.”
Critics say the policy unfairly favors athletes, citing golfer Seung-Yul Noh’s loss of form after service.
South Korea law grants Asian Games gold medalists a basic-training exemption lasting under a month.
Public debate intensified as esports, baseball and golf champions secured military waivers at the Games.

History

Historical Context

In 1972 President Park Chung-hee signed the Military Service Exemption Act, letting Asian Games gold-medalists cut the standard 21-month conscription to a single month of training. The rule, applied first to ten 1970 Asian Games champions, still shields elite athletes such as Lee Ki-hyuk, prompting Faker’s criticism and Yonhap-reported protests demanding reform amid rising nationalist sentiment.

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Japan organizers botch flag

Asian Games organizers in Japan failed to raise South Korea’s Taegeukgi flag at the men’s football award ceremony on Oct 3.
Host staff fumbling the rope kept the flag lowered, prompting boos from spectators.
South Korea captain Lee Ki-hyuk called the mishap regrettable if intentional.
Earlier, organizers played North Korea’s anthem instead of South Korea’s and misrouted Pakistan’s volleyball team, delaying South Korea’s bus 30 minutes.

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