The Roh Moo-hyun Foundation has expressed deep regret over a derogatory reference to the late President Roh Moo-hyun that appeared in a video on the Lotte Giants’ official YouTube channel, urging the baseball club to implement measures to prevent a recurrence.
In a statement released on May 13, the foundation said, “We express deep regret over this incident, where hateful terms from certain online communities were used without filter on the official channel of a professional sports club with significant public influence.”
It added that while the club explained it was unaware of the potential implications of the phrase during filming and editing, the timing—immediately after a game against the Gwangju-based KIA Tigers and just ahead of the May 18 Democracy Movement anniversary and the May 23 anniversary of President Roh’s death—makes it impossible to dismiss as a simple mistake.
“Many citizens have already been deeply wounded,” the foundation stressed. “Sports should be a space of peace and harmony, where mutual respect prevails even amid fierce competition. Mockery and hatred directed at others should never be excused as ‘fun’ or a ‘mistake.'”
The foundation called on the Lotte club to “recognize the seriousness of this matter, transparently disclose the circumstances and internal investigation results, conduct a full review of its content production and review systems, implement strong preventive measures, and publicly announce disciplinary actions against those responsible.”
The controversy began with a behind-the-scenes video posted on the Lotte Giants’ official YouTube channel, “GiantsTV.” The video showed players celebrating after a win against the KIA Tigers at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on May 10. It featured a shot of infielder Noh Jin-hyuk from behind, with red text reading “Endless Applause” on a black background. However, the placement of the subtitle overlapped with Noh’s surname, making it read as “No Mu-han Applause”—a phrase used by some online communities to mock the late President Roh.
The situation escalated when it was noted that the opposing team, KIA Tigers, is based in Gwangju, and Noh Jin-hyuk also hails from the Jeolla region.
The foundation concluded, “We will continue to respond firmly to reckless hate speech that undermines human dignity and fuels social conflict, and we will lead efforts to foster a mature democratic culture.”
