A South Korean lawmaker speaks at a press briefing at the National Assembly in Seoul in August while colleagues hold printed examples of political banners that target Chinese nationals with phrases such as “Chinese students are 100 percent potential spies” and “Chinese people are pouring in. They bring in crimes.” The event was held to call for legislation restricting racist and inflammatory content in political banners. - Photo: Newsis
SEOUL: If you’ve walked through any major South Korean city recently, chances are you’ve seen a banner warning that Chinese students are all potential spies, or that Korea is being “colonised” by Chinese tourists.
These aren’t random flyers or fringe graffiti. They’re political banners, hung in public with party logos and legal protection — until now.
