University student group who burned the Rising Sun flag in front of the Japanese Embassy in South Korea... sentenced to fine

Members of a university student group who were sentenced to fines in the first trial for burning the Rising Sun flag in front of the Japanese Embassy in South Korea were also sentenced to fines in the second trial.
According to the Korean Bar Association on the 29th, the Seoul Central District Court ruled against a Korean university student who was charged with violating laws regarding public gatherings and demonstrations.
As in the first trial, the three members of the Ayu Union were each sentenced to a fine of 1 million won (approximately 110,000 yen). The three people were in front of the Japanese Embassy in Jongno-gu, Seoul around 3:00 pm on June 1, 2021.
He was put on trial on charges of burning a Rising Sun flag on a sidewalk. At the time, the three people wrote a letter at the scene saying, ``We strongly condemn the Tokyo Olympics and the Japanese government, which claims that Dokdo (Japanese name: Takeshima) is Japanese territory.''
A flammable substance was poured onto the flag of the rising sun and set on fire. The three were charged with holding outdoor gatherings without reporting to the authorities, and each was sentenced to a fine of 1 million won at the first trial in October last year.
, was dissatisfied with this and filed an appeal. The three said, ``During the performance, there was no obstruction to vehicular traffic, and there was no conflict of interest with the general public, so it did not fall under the category of outdoor gathering, which is subject to declaration.
'He claimed innocence. However, the second instance court ruled that ``the actions of the three people were two or more people who gathered in a certain place for the purpose of forming and expressing a joint opinion, and there was a direct danger to the common peace and order.''
The court ruled that the event was "sufficient to qualify as a regulated gathering." In addition, ``The act of burning the Rising Sun flag using flammable substances without any notification was not for a legitimate purpose.''
"It cannot be seen as a means or method for achieving this goal, and it does not constitute a legitimate act under criminal law."