 Negative South Korean campaigning against the Rising Sun Flag began in 2011 when a South Korean footballer Ki Sung-yueng was accused of making a racist gesture, which he defended claiming he was annoyed at having seen a Rising Sun Flag in the stadium.In 2012, South Koreans who disapproved of the flag began to refer to it as a "war crime flag".The "Sankei Shimbun" criticized South Korea's attitude toward the Rising Sun Flag, since even the United States, who was Japan's opponent during World War II, has not protested formally against the Rising Sun Flag.