FC Seoul faces backlash over banner disparaging Incheon citizens

A controversy has erupted in South Korean professional football following a match between FC Seoul and Incheon United on May 5 at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. During the match, a banner appeared in the FC Seoul supporters' section that used a play on words to disparage the city of Incheon and its residents. The banner replaced the Chinese characters for Incheon (仁川) with characters meaning ‘lowly people’ (人賤), effectively insulting the 3 million citizens of the city.

The Incheon Citizens' Council for Love of Incheon has issued a formal condemnation, demanding an apology from FC Seoul and the Korea Professional Football League. The council emphasized that while competitive cheering is part of sports, intentionally defaming a region and mocking its citizens' pride cannot be justified as cheering culture.

Calls for disciplinary action are mounting. Some critics and local political figures have urged the league to consider severe sanctions, including a forfeit for FC Seoul or matches played behind closed doors. The council and local advocates are calling for the league to establish stricter regulations and preventive measures to ensure that regional hatred and discriminatory language are not tolerated in professional sports.