Abroad
I could never hate an entire country because of 1 person: Korean woman subject to racist gesture gets invitation by FIFA to match
The match coincides with the UN's International Day for Countering Hate Speech, established to tackle global xenophobia and discrimination.
June 18, 2026, 02:34 PM
Photo from inocat_t/Instagram
A South Korean YouTuber who was subjected to a racist gesture during a recent World Cup game has been officially invited by FIFA to attend her country's match against Mexico.
In a statement seen by South Korean media, football's governing body confirmed that Yoon Su-jin, known online as Inocat, accepted the invitation to attend the match in Guadalajara on Jun. 18.
The match coincides with the UN's International Day for Countering Hate Speech, observed by the UN since 2021 to combat xenophobia and discrimination globally. FIFA stated it plans to use the occasion to deliver a "message of inclusion and respect".
The incident
The invitation follows an incident on Jun. 11, during South Korea's opening World Cup match against the Czech Republic in Mexico.
Yoon shared a video on Instagram showing a local man looking into her camera and pulling at the corners of his eyes, a gesture widely recognised as a derogatory racist trope against people of Asian descent.
Following public backlash online, Mexican media outlet Politico MX later identified him as Ulises Fernando Bernal Miramontes, president of the College of Geomatics and Topographic Surveying Engineers of the State of Jalisco (CITGEJ).
In response to the public outcry, the association announced that Bernal would be removed from his position.
Bernal later posted a public apology on Instagram, stating that he "sincerely regret(s) everything this situation has caused".
FIFA, which maintains a zero-tolerance policy against racism, also confirmed it has blocked Bernal from accessing his ticketing account.
Moving forward
On Jun. 16, Yoon shared her reflections on the incident on Instagram, expressing gratitude for the overwhelming support she has received from Mexican locals since the video went viral.
"What happened was sad, but I could never hate an entire country because of the actions of one person."
To pay forward the kindness she experienced, Yoon revealed that she has donated KRW2 million (S$1,690) to World Vision under her channel's name, Inocat. She added that she hopes the donation will support children in need and inspire them to pursue their dreams.
