Big Hit apologizes in Hapcheon

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Big Hit apologizes in Hapcheon

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Boy band BTS’s agency Big Hit Entertainment paid a visit on Friday to Hapcheon County, South Gyeongsang, to apologize to the victims of atomic bombs during World War II.

The visit comes after a Japanese newspaper criticized BTS for supposedly supporting anti-Japanese activities, citing member Jimin’s T-shirt that depicted an image of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. The T-shirt featured the words “Patriotism,” “Our history,” “Liberation” and “Korea” along with two photos - one depicting the celebration of Korean independence and another showing the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

Around 70 percent of Korean victims of the atomic bombs are reported to come from Hapcheon.

Lee Jin-hyeong from the agency visited 10 officials from the Korea Atomic Bombs Victim Association at 1 p.m. on Friday and made an official apology at a press conference.

“We thought that it was our duty to pay a visit to the victims [of the atomic bombings] who may have been hurt [by a BTS member wearing a controversial T-shirt],” Lee said. “Even though it was not intentional, we are sincerely sorry to those who might have been hurt.”

In response, the director of the association blamed Japan, criticizing the hostile response to the boy band’s wardrobe choices.

“Japan, a war criminal, acts as if it is the only atomic bomb victim, instead of offering a sincere apology regarding its previous invasion of other countries,” said the director. “We should think about the inhumanity of atomic bombs. I hope that Japan and the country’s press stop interrupting the group’s activities.”

By Yeo Ye-rim
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