Members of the K-Pop group BTS in Nazi and atomic bomb-themed paraphernalia. Photo: Courtesy of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

Korean pop group BTS’s management organization has issued a formal apology for a scandal surrounding group members who wore Nazi paraphernalia.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) announced in a press release that it welcomed the apology from Big Hit Entertainment after BTS artists were shown wearing a hat with a Nazi SS emblem, performing in Nazi-style uniforms, and wearing a t-shirt with pictures of atomic bombs.

The SWC called the paraphernalia “offensive to both Jewish victims of the Holocaust and Japanese victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”

In its statement, Big Hit Entertainment said, “We sincerely apologize to anyone who took offense in regards” to the incidents.

“Big Hit Entertainment is deeply conscious of our responsibility, as it is no excuse that we failed to screen the matter and regret that it happened,” the statement continued. “We will continue to educate ourselves, be more sensitive to such matters, and protect our artist from such incidents and the implications they may carry.”

“It is worth noting that the artist has shared a message recently at the UN, which demonstrated their consistent beliefs that loving yourself and love for others are of primary importance in the world now, and that [has] been a global message for the artist,” the statement concluded. “Both Big Hit and the artists hope to continue spreading that message and share love for all humankind.”

Rabbi Abraham Cooper — the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s associate dean and director of global social action, had commented on the scandal, saying, “The outrageous incidents reveal a basic lack of knowledge of history’s darkest chapters that endangers the future of younger generations.”

“We are reaching out to BTS and their management to urge that they harness their international fame to celebrate the good not serve the forces of evil,” he added.