Tottenham Hotspur's Uruguayan midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur / AFP-Yonhap

Professor Seo Kyoung-duk of Sungshin Women's University has strongly protested against Tottenham Hotspur's silence regarding the racist remarks made by Rodrigo Bentancur, 27, from Uruguay, towards his teammate Son Heung-min 32, from South Korea.

Professor Seo Kyoung-duk / Korea Times file

Seo, also an activist of VANK (Voluntary Agency Network of Korea), expressed his outrage on Facebook, saying, "Son Heung-min, the captain of Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League (EPL), was subjected to racial discrimination by a fellow teammate. This incident is an insult not only to Son but to all Asians."

He said he had sent protest emails to the EPL's headquarters and all EPL clubs, including Tottenham.

The controversy arose on June 14 when Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Bentancur, during an interview with a local broadcaster in Uruguay, responded to a question about obtaining Son's jersey by saying, "Sonny's? It could be Sonny's cousin too as they all look the same."

This remark has been widely criticized in the U.K. for perpetuating the racist stereotype that all Asians look alike.

Bentancur later issued an apology, saying, "Sonny brother. I apologise to you for what happened, it was just a very bad joke. You know I love you and I would never disrespect you or hurt you or anyone else! I love you, brother!"

However, the public outrage has not subsided, as many are appalled that Son, who has faced racial discrimination since joining the league, experienced such remarks from a close teammate.

Tottenham Hotspur has not made any official statement regarding the incident. Seo, in his email, emphasized that "Tottenham should impose strong penalties on Bentancur and ensure that such racial discrimination never occurs again in any EPL club."

He also warned that he will file a complaint with the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) if appropriate punitive steps are not taken.

"Football fans around the world are waiting for a clear follow-up action on this matter. If EPL headquarters and Tottenham do not take swift action, we will report the matter to FIFA," he said.

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min / Reuters-Yonhap

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, sister publication of The Korea times, is translated by generative AI and edited by staff of The Korea Times.