UNIQLO AD STIRS CONTROVERSY IN KOREA

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A Korean language advertisement put out by Japanese fashion retailer Uniqlo continues to stir controversy for allegedly ridiculing victims of Tokyo's wartime forced labor and sexual slavery. Uniqlo said it will completely suspend the ad, but Korean university students are continuing their protest, demanding an apology.

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[Soundbite] "We denounce Uniqlo for ridiculing victims of Japan's wartime forced labor and sexual slavery!"

A recent ad by the Japanese clothing brand Uniqlo questioned how people can remember an event that occurred more than 80 years ago. Well, Korean university students have answered, saying they do remember that history.

[Soundbite] BANG SEULGICHAN(MEMBER, STUDENT NGO) : "Why do they make the victims, who carry the painful memory all their lives, as strange individuals just because they themselves don't wont to remember that history?"

The students argue the specific mention of '80 years ago' shows the ad was deliberately hurling insults related to Japan's forced labor and sexual slavery during World War Two. They denounced the ad for yet again inflicting pain on the victims.

[Soundbite] JEONG EUN-JOO(OFFICIAL, JOINT EVENT ON FORCED LABOR ISSUE) : "We demand a proper apology to the victims hurt by the Uniqlo ad and urge Japanese firms and the government to uphold the Supreme Court ruling and apologize and provide compensation."

Uniqlo denied the accusations, but as the controversy failed to subside, the firm has decided to suspend the ad.

[Soundbite] PROF. YUJI HOSAKA(SEJONG UNIVERSITY) : "Regardless of the ad's intent, it's true that it has offended Koreans and the victims."

The students plan to continue one-man protests outside Uniqlo stores until October 30th, which marks the one year anniversary of the Korean Supreme Court ruling that ordered Japanese firms to compensate Korean victims of forced labor.