Mexican official fired for racist gesture toward South Korean streamer at World Cup

A screenshot of streamer Yoon Su-jin and Ulises Bernal's racist gesture toward her during the World Cup match between South Korea and the Czech Republic at the Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico on June 12, 2026.

The decision was made just hours after the footage circulated across social media. A representative for the association confirmed that its Honor and Justice Committee held an emergency meeting and voted to remove Bernal from office.

"We are deeply saddened by what is happening regarding this incident," a spokesperson for the organization told New York Post.

The controversy occurred during South Korea's 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic in Guadalajara Stadium on June 12. Yoon, a popular influencer known by her handle @incocat_t with nearly 9 million followers across TikTok and YouTube, was filming a video from the stands to celebrate her team's win.

In the background of the footage, Bernal can be seen making hand gestures and laughing before using his fingers to pull his eyes wide into a "slant-eye" gesture, which is widely considered a racist act toward Asian people. Upon noticing the behavior, Yoon immediately dropped her smile and looked at the camera in disbelief.

She later posted the video with a caption in Korean: "I came all the way to Mexico for the World Cup, but ... am I being too sensitive?" In a subsequent post, she added: "POV: You traveled across the world for the World Cup... and experienced racism."

The video quickly amassed millions of views, prompting widespread outrage. Many Mexican users flooded Yoon's comments to apologize, emphasizing that Bernal's behavior did not represent the people of this country.

"That was rude and completely inappropriate. I'm sorry, not all Mexicans are like that," one user commented.

Following the intense backlash, Bernal posted an apology video to his personal social media accounts. He admitted his actions were inappropriate and stated he was "deeply regretful."

"Every time a foreigner comes to Mexico, we want them to feel at home. But I did the complete opposite," Bernal said. He noted that his apology was directed not only at Yoon but also at the Korean community, foreigners visiting Mexico, and the Mexican citizens affected by the incident, according to South Korean newspaper Asiae Daily.

Bernal claimed he had submitted his resignation to avoid further damaging the association and stated he had reached out to Yoon to apologize in person. However, the association had already publicly announced his removal prior to his video statement. Yoon has not publicly commented on his offer to meet.

Bernal's rapid dismissal is viewed as a decisive move to protect the nation's image, as Mexico is one of the three co-hosts for the 2026 tournament.

The incident unfolded just days before South Korea's highly anticipated Group B clash against Mexico on June 18 in Guadalajara. Both teams secured victories in their opening matches, and the upcoming fixture is now drawing attention as the relationship between the two nations’ fanbases remains in the spotlight.