A man who threw gum at Korea Football Association President Jeong Mong-kyu after the national team was eliminated from the group stage of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup has come forward to explain the incident.
On July 1, a post titled "The Man Who Threw the Gum Speaks" appeared on an online community.
The author, identified as A, described himself as a long-time member of the Red Devils, a supporter group for the national team, stating, "I have attended the Asian Cup and World Cup and have consistently watched domestic matches."
He explained that on the day of the incident, he took the last train to the airport after finishing a night shift, intending to join other Red Devils members in protesting, not to throw anything.
A expressed his frustration over the team's poor performance despite significant support and a relatively favorable group draw, saying, "They showed the worst performance and did not take responsibility. I was angry to see both the coach and the association disregarding the fans while returning home."
Regarding his choice of gum, A said, "I was going to buy taffy at a store on my way to the airport, but gum caught my eye, so I bought it. I never considered throwing something that could harm others, like eggs or flour."
He explained that he targeted President Jeong instead of former coach Hong Myung-bo because "Hong was moving quickly among the players, and I had no chance to throw at him. After seeing police security maintained, I thought more association officials would come out, and when President Jeong appeared, I judged him to be the ultimate responsible party and threw the gum."
A emphasized, "I only threw a 70-gram piece of gum inside the police line, and I had no intention of hitting anyone."
He reported that he was surrounded by police immediately after the throw and had his belongings checked but was not detained or questioned.
A clarified, "I just moved outside to talk with reporters, and I received the gum back from the police right away."
Online community members reacted to the post with comments like, "Thanks for the fun and enjoyment," "It's funny that you got it back," and "With articles about threats against Hong Myung-bo circulating, the police probably had no choice." Others praised his proactive stance, saying, "I commend your approach to taking action."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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