Shandong Fans Cross the Line with Taunts at ACL Match
Gwangju FC Vows Strong Response:
"An Act of Mockery Against All of Korea"
It has recently come to light that during the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite (ACLE) match held in China, local spectators appeared to provoke the visiting Gwangju FC by displaying photos of former President Chun Doo-hwan, sparking controversy. Gwangju FC has announced plans to respond strongly.
On the 11th, during the Asian Football Confederation Elite match between Gwangju FC and Shandong Taishan, some Shandong fans held up photos printed with the faces of former President Chun Doo-hwan and North Korea's Kim Jong-un toward the away supporters' section. Captured from an online community.
On the 13th, numerous photos of the stands during the match between Gwangju FC and Shandong Taishan, held on the 11th at the Jinan Olympic Sports Center in Shandong Province, China, were posted on domestic online communities and social networking services (SNS). The photos showed Shandong fans displaying pictures of former President Chun Doo-hwan, North Korean leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-un toward the away supporters' section during the game.
This raised suspicions that Shandong fans had inappropriately provoked Gwangju FC players and away fans. In particular, former President Chun Doo-hwan was responsible for ordering the massacre of Gwangju citizens during the 1980 Gwangju Democratization Movement, making this act especially shocking to Gwangju FC players.
Domestic football fans expressed outrage on online communities, leaving comments such as "Those spectators should be disciplined" and "Sanctions should be imposed on the Shandong Taishan team." Especially, given that the AFC and the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) strictly prohibit political messages in stadiums, there were calls to hold the Shandong club and its fans accountable.
Yonhap News reported that on the same day, Gwangju FC officially submitted a protest letter to the AFC regarding the matter, demanding a thorough investigation and strong disciplinary action.
The club told Yonhap News, "This incident cannot be seen simply as a way fans support their team," adding, "The club has defined it as an act that mocks and disparages not only Gwangju Metropolitan City but the entire Republic of Korea." They further emphasized, "Considering the significance of the individual in modern Korean history, the actions of Shandong Taishan fans were intentional and constitute a clear provocation that deeply wounds the citizens of Gwangju and the people of Korea."
In the match, Gwangju FC lost 1-3 to Shandong Taishan. Participating in the ACL for the first time since its founding, Gwangju FC secured 4 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses, placing 4th in the East Asia group and confirming advancement to the round of 16 regardless of remaining matches. Shandong stands 6th with 3 wins, 1 draw, and 3 losses.
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