The Trend Of Football Fan Violence Meets The K-League

Following just a year after Korean football's match-fixing scandal, "another problem has officials concerned: violence, both on and off the pitch," according to Moon Gwang-lip of the KOREA JOONGANG DAILY. The most recent incident came in the "Super Match," between rivals FC Seoul and Suwon Bluewings. Right before the end of the game, "the aggressive play nearly turned into an all-out brawl with players and coaches clearing the benches on both sides." Seoul fans were angry after yet another loss to their "archrival and mounted a physical blockade to keep the Seoul football players from leaving the stadium." It "could be a sign" of problems to come in the K-League. As the league's popularity and fans' enthusiasm increases, fans are also "becoming rowdier." The Korea Football Association said the lack of measures taken to prevent fans from taking part in brawls is "worrying." A KFA official said, "Korean football has yet to understand the potential hazard of collective action by fans, so the host team of a match needs to set up sufficient security to prevent it" (KOREA JOONGANG DAILY, 6/22).