In light of an alleged racial remark directed at South Korean international Hwang Hee-chan during a recent match, the Korea Football Association (KFA) said Thursday it has asked FIFA to strengthen punishments for racist behavior in the sport.

In a message posted on its official X page, the South Korean national football federation said it sent an official letter to FIFA to demand tougher penalties for perpetrators of racism “in order to prevent and eradicate racial discrimination taking place at football stadiums.”

The KFA also expressed “grave concerns” over the alleged racist behavior toward Hwang, forward for the Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers, during Monday’s preseason match in Spain against the Italian side Como 1907.

Other South Korean players have faced racial action in the past while playing overseas, namely Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur, but this is the first time the KFA has officially raised the issue with FIFA.

Hwang reported the incident during the second half of the match,
and one of his teammates, Daniel Podence, was sent off for punching a Como player in response.

Wolves said they would file a complaint with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), but the continental governing body said it won’t be able to look into the incident because it did not happen during a UEFA competition match.

Como have said the player involved in the incident had not said anything derogatory and he only referred to Hwang as “Jackie Chan,” after the action film star from Hong Kong, because Wolverhampton players call the South Korean “Channy.”

Source: Yonhap News Agency