South Korean activist Seo Kyoung-duk says that he has sent a complaint to Adidas about its use of Japan’s Rising Sun flag in a promotional video for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Seo, a professor at Sungshin Women’s University, also said that he requested the multinational sportswear company to remove the controversial Japanese flag from the video.

On June 14th, Adidas posted a one-minute-long clip dedicated to Spain on YouTube as one of its promotional videos wishing for the good luck of the countries playing in the World Cup. The video titled, "Spain | Demand Greatness", has attracted over 650-thousand views.

In the video in question, the Rising Sun flag is clearly visible on a wall when a woman is shown using her mobile phone.

Back in 2014, Adidas sparked controversy by introducing a design reminiscent of the Rising Sun flag for the Japanese national football team's uniform in the Brazil World Cup.

In Korea and some other countries, the Rising Sun flag is viewed as a symbol associated with Japanese imperialism, as it was used by Japan’s military forces in the early 20th century.