The Taegukgi (Korean national flag) discarded by the roadside on Memorial Day was confirmed to have been collected by an event hosting company for incineration.
On the 6th of June, Memorial Day, a large number of Taegukgi flags found along a road in Cheongju were revealed to have been temporarily gathered by an event planning company for proper disposal.
Initially suspected of being illegal dumping, the investigation confirmed there was no intent of wrongdoing.
According to the Cheongju Cheongwon Police Station, a resident reported the presence of a garbage bag containing Taegukgi flags near Cheongju Agricultural High School in Naedeok-dong, Cheongwon District of Cheongju. Police investigations determined that these flags were temporarily gathered by a nearby event hosting company for appropriate disposal procedures.
The company has been responsible for installing and collecting Taegukgi flags along roads at the request of public offices.
The discovered Taegukgi flags were found to be contaminated or damaged, and it was confirmed that the company had put them in garbage bags for proper incineration.
Police concluded that there was no intent to insult the national flag, and therefore, criminal charges would not apply.
A representative from the Cheongwon Police Station stated, "There are no indications of deliberately dumping the Taegukgi, so it is judged that applying relevant laws will be difficult."
According to Article 105 of the Criminal Act (Crime of Insulting the National Flag and Emblem), "Anyone who damages, removes, or insults the national flag or emblem with the intention of insulting the Republic of Korea shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than 5 years, or criminal detention, or by a fine of not more than 7 million won."
However, this case has been confirmed to be part of a legitimate disposal process without any intent of insult, thus not subject to punishment.
It is important to note that if a Taegukgi is damaged, it should not be abandoned or used for other purposes, but rather disposed of properly, such as through incineration.
Image source: Reference photo for the understanding of the article / Photo=Insight
