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| ▲ This photo provided by the Korea Professional Football League on June 5, 2023, shows Ulsan Hyundai FC head coach Hong Myung-bo. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ Lee Myung-jae of Ulsan Hyundai FC (R) battles Oh In-pyo of Suwon FC for the ball during a K League 1 match at Suwon Stadium in Suwon, 30 kilometers south of Seoul, on June 6, 2023, in this photo provided by the Korea Professional Football League. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
football coach-racism
Ulsan head coach Hong Myung-bo apologizes for players' racist comments
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, June 13 (Yonhap) -- Ulsan Hyundai FC head coach Hong Myung-bo on Tuesday apologized for his players' recent online exchange of racist comments, saying his K League 1 club will wage a fight against racial discrimination.
"As head coach in charge of the team, I'd like to give my apology," Hong said Tuesday, while attending a golf tournament for football coaches and former players in Wonju, some 85 kilometers east of Seoul.
The comments in question were made on the Instagram page for Ulsan defender Lee Myung-jae over the weekend.
In a reply to a post, one of Lee's teammates, Lee Gyu-sung, referred to Lee Myung-jae as a Southeast Asian player, in an apparent jab at the dark tone of his skin. Another Ulsan player, Park Yong-woo, even called Lee "Sasalak," after Sasalak Haiprakhon, a Thai player who spent the 2021 season in the K League 1 with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
A third Ulsan player, Jung Seung-hyun, and a club official also played along in the comment section.
Fans who saw this exchange made a screen grab of the conversation and shared the image on fan community sites and with the media, accusing the players of being racist toward Southeast Asian people.
Lee Myung-jae deleted the post. Park wrote an apology on his own Instagram page.
Ulsan issued an apology Monday, and the K League office said it may open disciplinary proceedings against the players.
Sasalak uploaded a photo of people dressed in Jeonbuk shirts bearing his name on Facebook and wrote a message apparently targeting Ulsan players.
"I've faced so much criticism along the way, but I've never paid attention to those people, because I know I have a lot of people who love me and who wait for me," the Thai player said. "Only they know what I fight for, and they are proud of me. I am always proud of myself."
Hong said he was also sorry to see Sasalak's name brought up, and apologized to his family and football fans in Thailand.
"Racism doesn't just plague football. It's a problem for the entire world," he said. "Something that shouldn't have happened did. I think we could fall victim to it at any moment."
Hong added that he hoped his players would come to realize how serious racial discrimination is.
"I promise you something like this won't happen again," he said. "We will try to evolve into a team that fights against racial discrimination."
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