"Viva Korea!…Korean Fans Need Not Worry About Safety"

[Anchor]

Mexico, where our national team will begin its World Cup group stage matches the day after tomorrow (the 12th), has been a source of concern regarding public safety. However, the local atmosphere suggests that Koreans, in particular, have nothing to worry about. Why is that?

Reporter Pyeon Gwanghyeon reports from the scene.

[Reporter]

Guadalajara, the site of our national team's "decisive battle" and Mexico's second-largest city, is notorious for being a "stronghold" of drug cartels.

Back in February, after a major drug lord was killed here, "bloody retaliation" ensued, leaving at least 70 people dead and paralyzing some city functions.

Even now, flyers searching for missing persons linked to drug cartels are plastered all over the city center.

However, as authorities have deployed 100,000 military and police personnel to focus all efforts on maintaining public order, the outlook is that the tournament period will be relatively safe.

[Kim Yu-na / Local Korean YouTuber: There were so many rumors about it being dangerous that I was very worried people wouldn't come. As long as you don't walk around too late at night...]

In particular, thanks to the connection formed when Mexico dramatically advanced to the Round of 16 in the 2018 Russia World Cup thanks to our team, and the intense "Korean Wave" (Hallyu) fueled by K-dramas and K-pop, Koreans are being welcomed wherever they go.

[Mexican Police: Everyone thinks of Korea as almost part of Mexico. So, don't worry about safety and feel free to come. Everyone will welcome you.]

While there is a sense of tension due to security concerns, the passion for the World Cup is also heating up.

[Viva Mexico, Viva Korea!]

When you walk down the street wearing our national team's uniform, requests for photos pour in, and an SNS video featuring the SBS news crew has even become a hot topic among locals, compared to scenes from a famous drama.

[Rosa / Mexican Fan: I really love K-pop. (Korea) is a very special country to me. (Will you cheer for the Korean soccer team?) Of course!]

Our players, who will play their first match against the Czech Republic amidst "full-scale support," held a closed-door training session today to focus on set-pieces and tactical drills.

(Reported by Hwang In-seok | Video by Ha Seong-won | Graphics by Choi Jin-hoe)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.