Park Ji-sung, a former Manchester United player, addressed an appeal to the club’s fans on Monday. The famed South Korean has requested that Red Devil followers refrain from singing a song that involves a racial prejudice about his homeland.
During Park’s tenure at Old Trafford from 2005 to 2012, United fans chanted a song about him that contained a nasty lyric about Koreans eating dog flesh.
The song may still be heard at Old Trafford on occasion, and the now-retired Park has stated that he wants to educate spectators about why the words are offensive to him and South Koreans.
Park, 40, claimed he was moved to speak out after hearing United fans chant the song last month during an away match against Wolverhampton, which featured South Korean attacker Hwang Hee-chan.
“I know United fans don’t mean any offense to him for that song,” Park said on the UTD podcast. “But I still have to educate the fans to stop using that word (dog meat), which is normally these days a racist insult to the Korean people.”
Park, who won the Premier League four times with United and the Champions League in 2008, also represented South Korea in 100 games and three World Cups — in 2002, 2006, and 2010.
“That particular word is incredibly upsetting to Koreans, and I truly feel sad for the younger players that heard that type of song,” Park added.
“Things have changed dramatically in Korea. True, we used to eat dog meat, but nowadays, especially among the younger generation, they despise it. The culture has shifted,” he continued.
“I humbly urge that the fans refrain from singing that word. When Koreans hear that song, it makes them feel uneasy. It’s time to call it quits.”
Manchester United Football Club issued a statement expressing their support for the club and urging fans to follow his wishes.