A public service advertisement has emerged criticizing the political focus on disputes rather than soldier safety following a mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
According to Yonhap News on October 12, Lee Jae-seok, known as an 'advertising genius,' and his agency conducted a guerrilla public service campaign in military border areas of Gimpo and Paju, as well as Yongsan Park in Seoul, on October 10 and 11.
The campaign featured a two-meter tall billboard depicting a soldier in uniform standing precariously on one leg after injuring the other. The billboard bore the phrase, 'Mines take your ankles, politics hold you back.'
On September 21, three soldiers were injured in a mine explosion while conducting a reconnaissance road clearing operation in the Army's 25th Division operational area in northern Gyeonggi Province. Following this incident, a heated debate erupted in the National Assembly's Defense Committee meeting on October 7 regarding the military's initial response, delays in investigation, and the level of response to North Korea.
This campaign was designed to highlight the political disputes overshadowing the need for soldier safety and measures to prevent future incidents. It reportedly involved former professional soldiers who shared a common understanding of the need for a clear military command structure.
On October 12, Lee released a video on his YouTube channel, 'Lee Jae-seok's Advertising Archive,' showcasing the process of creating and installing the billboard. He stated, 'I created this advertisement to express the frustrating and bewildered feelings of the military regarding the current situation.'
He added, 'Despite the serious injuries our soldiers face from external military threats, the political disputes and conflicts over responsibility for the incident are intensifying domestically. The term 'one-legged' symbolizes both the physical condition of the injured soldier and the inability of South Korea's security situation to move forward due to political divisions.'
Lee gained recognition in 2007 when he won a gold award at the One Show advertising festival in the U.S. for his 'Chimney Gun' advertisement, which highlighted the dangers of air pollution. In June, he released a public service advertisement satirizing a shortage of ballots, and in July, he addressed the issue of road height differences on the Seongsu Bridge using an X-ray image of a broken spine.
However, some critics have pointed out that the portrayal of the 'one-legged soldier' may not adequately convey the severity of the physical harm caused by mine accidents. In response, Lee stated, 'The billboard was a test sample, and we plan to revise it to better communicate the risks of mine injuries in the future.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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