Park Jong-woo, who performed the ‘Dokdo Is Our Land’ celebration at the London Olympics, ends a 16-year playing career

창간 80주년 경향신문

입력 2026.02.02 15:41

By Park Hyo-Jae

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Park Jong-woo of the Olympic football team was investigated by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) over the ‘Dokdo celebration’. On the 10th at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, United Kingdom, after the bronze-medal match against Japan, he held up a piece of paper from the crowd bearing the words ‘Dokdo is our land’ during the victory celebration, which became an issue. The IOC, which prohibits political expressions, launched an inquiry. Park Jong-woo running around the pitch holding the ‘Dokdo is our land’ paper. Kyunghyang DB

Park Jong-woo (37), who left a strong impression by running around the pitch holding a placard that read ‘Dokdo Is Our Land’ immediately after a win over Japan in the men’s football bronze-medal match at the London 2012 Olympics, announced his retirement from active play on the 1st by posting a handwritten letter on social media.

He held up a placard handed to him from the stands and celebrated on impulse, which the International Olympic Committee (IOC) deemed a political act, leading to his separation from the medal ceremony. Driven to the brink of being stripped of his medal, he returned home alone without attending the ceremony. He regained the bronze medal in February 2013. FIFA handed him a two-match ban from A internationals and a fine of 3,500 Swiss francs.

In his retirement letter, he wrote, “I intend to put down the appellation most familiar in my life, the title ‘Player Park Jong-woo,’” and added, “The time I spent on the pitch was the most intense of my life and a moment of gratitude I would trade for nothing.”

Park Jong-woo announced his retirement as a player via his own social media. Screenshot from Park Jong-woo’s social media

He made his professional debut in 2010 wearing the Busan I-Park shirt. As a defensive midfielder, he marshaled the center of the park. With a high work rate and accurate, powerful kicking, he impacted both attack and defense. At the London Olympics, together with Ki Sung-yueng (37, Pohang), he blunted opponents’ attacks with efficient pressing in midfield. He became a key figure in Korea’s first Olympic football medal.

At Busan, he played a leading role in guiding the club to its first promotion to K League 1 in 2019, and from the 2022 season he served as captain. Upon re-signing in 2023, he expressed his affection, saying, “The reason I am back here is that Busan is lodged so deeply in my heart.” In the 2023 season, Busan failed to win promotion after a come-from-behind loss to Suwon FC in the promotion playoffs. After the season, he left Busan.

In the K League, he recorded 199 matches, 10 goals, and 25 assists. After moving to Guangzhou Fuli in China in 2014, he gained overseas experience with Al Jazira and Emirates Club in the UAE. He went through Suwon Samsung in 2018, returned to Busan in 2019, and played through the 2023 season. Last year, he was with Thailand’s Nongbua Pitchaya.

For the national team, he made his A-match debut in October 2012 against Iran in the final qualifying round for the 2014 World Cup, was included in the final squad for the 2014 Brazil World Cup, and earned 15 caps in total.