On July 22, Somali (real name: Ramsay Khalid Ismail) took to X (formerly Twitter) to broadcast live, where he made a string of controversial remarks. Donning a red “MAGA” (Make America Great Again) cap, he waved the Rising Sun Flag and claimed, “Dokdo is not Korean territory; it belongs to Japan. I want everyone to know that. Japan should occupy the Korean Peninsula.”
In the accompanying post, he added, “I know more about the Dokdo issue than Koreans do,” continuing his history of provocative and offensive statements targeting South Korea and its people.
Ongoing Legal Troubles
Somali is currently facing trial in South Korea on seven charges, including obstruction of business and violations of the Minor Offenses Act. He is under a court-imposed travel ban and cannot leave the country.
This is not his first brush with controversy. In March, he attempted to enter a South Korean courtroom wearing the same MAGA hat, only to be denied entry for violating dress code. He defended himself by saying, “I’m an American citizen. And Korea is a vassal state of the U.S.”
His prior actions include:
- Kissing the “Statue of Peace”, a monument dedicated to victims of Japanese wartime sexual slavery—deeply offending many Koreans.
- Creating disturbances in public places such as buses and convenience stores.
- Referring to Dokdo as “Takeshima,” the Japanese name for the disputed territory, while publicly waving the Rising Sun Flag.
Public Outrage Mounts
Somali’s actions have drawn widespread condemnation from the Korean public, who view his behavior as not only deeply disrespectful, but also as an attempt to provoke national sentiment on issues rooted in historical trauma and sovereignty.
The Rising Sun Flag is particularly sensitive in Korea, symbolizing Japan’s militarist past and colonial occupation of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945. Many online users have called for stronger legal action and deportation once his trial concludes.
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