SOUTH KOREA: BAR CALLED THE THIRD REICH

Описание: (9 Mar 2000) Korean/Nat

The Third Reich is the name of a bar emblazoned with Nazi flags, swastikas and photographs of Adolf Hitler.

The owner of the bar located in downtown Seoul says that his motivation for the theme bar is not political.

He claims his knowledge of the Nazi leader is limited to the "killing of some Jews."

In a country where little is known of Nazi atrocities during World War 2, young South Koreans party the night away sipping rum cocktails named after Adolf Hitler.

Hyun, the owner of the bar which opened a year ago says he chose the Nazi theme simply to attract business.

The fact that only 1,500 Germans and fewer than 100 Israelis live in South Korea may be the reason why the Third Reich bar and its staff sporting Nazi Swastikas has taken so long to attract a different type of attention.

Last month, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a prominent Jewish human rights organization based in Los Angeles, said that it wanted the Third Reich bar closed, calling it a virtual shrine to Adolf Hitler and Nazism.

In a letter to Lee Hong-koo, South Korea's ambassador to the United States, the Centre said that the open existence of such an establishment was a mockery to the millions of victims of Nazism.

The Israeli Embassy in Seoul also sent a protest letter to the South Korean government in February.

The letter said that the bar ought to use a better example of history as its theme.

Officials at the German Embassy in Seoul has agreed that the existence of the bar is not only intolerable for the German government but also for others, especially Israelis.

Officials at South Korea's Foreign Ministry have declined to comment.

Local government officials however said there is no legal ground for them to crack down on the Third Reich bar.

Unlike Germany, the use of Nazi symbols is not illegal in South Korea.

Despite the controversy of its theme, some Young Koreans have given the bar their seal of approval.

SOUNDBITE: (Korean)
"This is unique. I think this is O.K."
SUPERCAPTION: Yo, Sung-Kwan, 25 year old customer

SOUNDBITE: (Korean)
"It stands out from other bars."
SUPERCAPTION: Kim, Jae-Kwang, 27 year old customer

The bar's owner said that government officials have already visited him twice to try to persuade him to change the bar's name and theme decorations.

He said that he is considering making some changes but does not understand why his bar is causing so much controversy.

SOUNDBITE: (Korean)
"Some people wonder whether this has anything to do with the Nazi government, but this is just an imitation for viewers. I hope there will be no misunderstanding."
SUPERCAPTION: Ha, Jan - Mi. 26 year old waitress

The Bar's owner has also had to stop accepting foreign customers as they occasionally enter the Third Reich bar to protest against its Nazi symbolism.

Locals are also beginning to show their dissent towards symbolism of the theme bar.

SOUNDBITE: (Korean)
"Personally, I think they should remove the bar, because it could inspire people with destructive thoughts."
SUPERCAPTION: Park, Chul-Soon, 27 year old student

SOUNDBITE: (Korean)
"This is a bad thing in view of world history. I don't think there is anything we students can learn from the bar. If we stay in the bar long enough, we may be instilled with the bar's culture."
SUPERCAPTION: Choi, Ji-Hye, 21 year old Student

Historical atrocities don't seem to have been taken into account by the management of the bar when they borrowed Nazi symbolism and memorabilia to update the night life of South Korea.

SOUNDBITE: (Korean)










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