Vietnam angered by 'maritime sovereignty violation'... Calls for BLACKPINK boycott

The Korean idol group BLACKPINK, which has a concert scheduled in Hanoi, Vietnam on the 29th and 30th, has become embroiled in controversy related to the territorial dispute in the South China Sea between China and Vietnam. This controversy stems from the map posted on the website of the concert organizer, 'iME Entertainment', a leading concert planning company in Asia with headquarters in China.

BLACKPINK. Provided by YG Entertainment.

According to Vietnam's social networking services (SNS) on the 9th, there are growing voices saying "We will boycott BLACKPINK's concert" due to the 'Nine-Dash Line' in the South China Sea, a boundary which China unilaterally claims and Vietnam resists, being marked on this map.

China draws the 'Nine-Dash Line', nine imaginary maritime boundaries in the South China Sea, on the pretext that they managed the islands in the region during the Han era, two thousand years ago, and claims that the area belongs to China. If their claim is accepted, 90% of the entire South China Sea would become Chinese territory. Most of the Southeast Asian islands disputed by China, including the Vietnamese Hoang Sa Archipelago (Chinese name: Xisha Islands) and the Spratly Islands (Chinese name: Nansha Islands), are included within this line. The Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in 2016 that there is no legal basis for the Nine-Dash Line, but China still persists with its claim.

Vietnam is outraged, viewing this controversy as an 'infringement of maritime sovereignty'. On Facebook, there are arguments that "Going to BLACKPINK's concert could be seen as supporting China's invasion plans. We must not go to the concert." The Vietnamese government, known for its firm stance on the Nine-Dash Line issue, has also responded quickly. The Ministry of Culture has started an investigation of the iME website. In response to the question "Could the concert be cancelled?", Pham Thu Hang, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, did not reveal much, stating "The government is investigating the matter." However, he stressed, "Vietnam has always made its position clear on the Nine-Dash Line. Any related publications, product promotions, and uses are not allowed."

Given Vietnam's history of halting film and drama broadcasts due to the Nine-Dash Line issue, the controversy is expected to continue for some time. The Ministry of Culture of Vietnam banned the screening of the Warner Bros. movie 'Bobby' in Vietnam on the 3rd of this month on the grounds that a map showing the Nine-Dash Line was displayed. The movie 'Uncharted' was banned from screening for the same reason in March this year, and the service of the Netflix drama 'Pine Gap' was also stopped in 2021.

iME apologized belatedly. Bryan Chow, CEO of iME, said, "We will replace the inappropriate images for the Vietnamese people," adding "We respect the sovereignty and culture of all countries." Currently, the related photos have been deleted from the website.