MEXICO CITY, June 28, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Ecstatic Mexican football fans
besieged the South Korean embassy in Mexico City and celebrated with
diplomats after the Taeguk Warriors’ stunning victory over Germany put El Tri
into the World Cup last 16.
Mexicans were watching in horror as their team was thrashed by Sweden 3-0,
leaving their only hope of getting out of Group F an unlikely Korean victory
over the defending champions.
But the city exploded into joyous celebration when South Korea dramatically
scored two injury-time goals to eliminate the world’s top-ranked side in one
of the great World Cup upsets.
Hundreds of Mexicans mobbed the South Korean embassy, chanting “We are all
Koreans!” as one fan lifted the consul general, Han Byoung-jin, onto his
shoulders.
Videos posted on social media also showed ambassador Kim Sang-il sharing a
bottle of tequila with fans and jumping up and down as the crowd partied
outside the embassy, chanting “Korean brother, now you’re Mexican!”
The embassy was bombarded by phone calls thanking South Koreans, Korea’s
Yonhap news agency said, including one from Mexico’s undersecretary for
foreign affairs.
Mexican finance minister Jose Antonio Gonzalez Anaya also called his
counterpart in Seoul to thank South Korea, Seoul’s finance ministry said,
promising to treat him to a nice meal at the next G20 finance ministers’
meeting.