Australian war memorial misrepresents Chinese clothing as hanbok, sparks controversy

On this photograph, supplied by Sungshin Ladies’s College professor Search engine marketing Kyoung-duk, Chinese language-style clothes is misrepresented as conventional Korean apparel, with an evidence stating that it was worn by youngsters throughout the 1950-1953 Korean Battle, on the Australian Battle Memorial in Canberra. Captured from Search engine marketing’s Instagram

The Australian Battle Memorial’s misrepresenting Chinese language clothes as conventional Korean apparel is sparking controversy. Regardless of requires correction, the show stays in place, professor Search engine marketing Kyoung-duk, identified for his efforts to rectify misinformation about Korea, stated Friday.

The memorial, within the Australian capital of Canberra, exhibits garments worn by youngsters throughout the 1950-1953 Korean Battle in entrance of Korea’s nationwide flag, the Taeguekgi, introducing the Chinese language-style clothes as „conventional Korean youngsters’s clothes,“ the Sungshin Ladies’s College professor stated.

Search engine marketing defined he first acquired experiences concerning the misrepresentation in 2024 and subsequently requested a correction to the memorial. Nevertheless, the show stays unchanged.

„Final 12 months, I acquired quite a few experiences (concerning the difficulty) and instantly lodged a protest with the memorial,“ he stated on Instagram. „Korean Australian communities additionally joined the protest, however the state of affairs has not been rectified.“

Because of the continued lack of motion, the professor despatched one other letter of grievance to the memorial early this month.

„As a result of that is crucial nationwide memorial in Australia and a spot visited by many worldwide vacationers, such errors can’t be left unattended,“ Search engine marketing stated.

Search engine marketing, who has been selling correct illustration of „hanbok,“ Korean conventional gown for a few years, defined to the memorial why the displayed clothes just isn’t Korean. He identified the variations in tailoring, shade schemes and embroidery types.

„On this newest letter of protest, I defined that the clothes presently on show, together with the reduce of the collar and sleeves, the colour combos and the embroidery, is of Chinese language design, not Korean,“ Search engine marketing stated.

He additional famous that hanbok is the true conventional Korean gown, including, „At a time when China continues to make unfounded claims that hanbok originated from its personal tradition, it’s essential to right misinformation around the globe and promote Korean hanbok tradition extra extensively.“

Search engine marketing has been a voice in addressing misinformation about Korea. In November, he advocated for barring the Korean service of a Chinese language sport after its developer claimed hanbok was Chinese language clothes.

He’s additionally concerned in elevating consciousness about Korean independence activists who fought for Korea’s freedom throughout the 1910-1945 Japanese colonial interval, working with actor Track Hye-kyo.