"XX Kimchi Man"... Park Hangseo 'Furious' Over Spectator's Racist Taunts

Discriminatory remarks also directed at the club's foreign player
Park protests with heated gestures

Park Hangseo (67), head coach of Thai professional soccer club Kanchanaburi Power, reportedly engaged in a heated exchange after hearing racist remarks from a spectator.

According to reports by Thai media outlets, including VietNam, Kanchanaburi Power, led by Park, drew 2-2 with Pattaya United in a second-division match in Chonburi, Thailand, on November 1.

Afterward, an argument broke out between Park and a spectator as he was leaving the stadium. Social media videos capturing the incident reportedly show a person believed to be a fan of the opposing team repeatedly making racist remarks toward Park.

Coach Park Hangseo protests after a Thai fan directs insulting remarks at him and the club's players. Screenshot from X.

The remarks reportedly included the term "Kimchi Man," used to insult Koreans. According to the outlet, the fan also made racially derogatory comments about the appearance of John Baggio, a striker for Kanchanaburi Power.

Park tried to stop the fan by putting a finger to his lips. When the provocation continued, Park pretended to throw a punch and then gestured toward the stands. As the confrontation escalated, club officials and players intervened and took him to the locker room. According to local media reports, the fan who made the racist remarks was a foreigner.

Officials from Kanchanaburi Power issued an official statement after the incident. The club said, "We want to take part in the movement against racism," adding, "because soccer is a sport that connects people around the world."

The club continued, "Whoever you are, wherever you come from, and whatever your skin color, every person is valuable and deserves respect. We stand against racism. Let us respect one another, without discrimination or division. Soccer should be a space for friendship, solidarity, and equality."

This is not the first time Park has been caught up in a racism controversy in Thai soccer. In 2019, when he was coaching the Vietnam national team, a coach of the Thailand national team sparked controversy by making a gesture that appeared to mock Park's physical features. The Vietnam Football Federation filed a complaint with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) over the incident, and the Football Association of Thailand referred the coach to its disciplinary committee before dismissing him.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.