Oh Hyeon-gyu scores South Korea's second goal against the Czech Republic in Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico, on Thursday. [Yonhap]
Oh Hyeon-gyu scores South Korea's second goal against the Czech Republic in Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico, on Thursday. [Yonhap]

Guadalajara, Mexico — the city where South Korea pulled off a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory over the Czech Republic in Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup — also bears traces of Korea's independence movement.

Seo Kyoung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women's University, noted the connection on his Facebook page Friday, writing that Guadalajara, the site of South Korea's first match at the tournament, "is a place where traces of Korea's independence movement remain."

Seo said a bronze plaque bearing the likeness of independence activist Ahn Chang-ho hangs in the lobby of the Frances Hotel, which opened in 1610. The South Korean government arranged the installation in 2017 in consultation with the hotel.

A photo of the plaque that Seo posted alongside his message shows the inscription "A place where Dosan Ahn Chang-ho stayed," with an account of the site's history in both Korean and English.

[Courtesy of Seo Kyoung-duk, Sungshin Women's University]
[Courtesy of Seo Kyoung-duk, Sungshin Women's University]

The Frances Hotel is where Ahn Chang-ho — who served as chairman of the Korean National Association, the central representative body for Koreans abroad in the 1910s — stayed from late June to early July 1918.

Ahn had spent 10 months traveling across Mexico to rally the Korean diaspora and lay the groundwork for the independence movement. He stopped at the hotel while making his way back to the United States.

Seo explained that Ahn had visited Mexico at the invitation of the Korean community there. When Ahn sought to return to the United States after completing his tour to build a foundation for the anti-Japanese resistance, the US consulate general in Mexico City refused to recognize his Korean Empire passport on the grounds that Japan had stripped Korea of its sovereignty.

Ahn refused to travel on a Japanese passport and was forced to remain in Guadalajara. He eventually returned to the United States through Nogales in the north, presenting his Korean Empire passport at the border.

To raise awareness of the Korean independence movement in Mexico, Seo donated 10,000 copies of a history guide — produced last year in Korean and Spanish with actor Song Hye-kyo — to local institutions. He also documented the history on the website "Our History Stories Encountered Abroad."

"Cheering for South Korea's first win is important, but so is knowing the history of Korea here in Guadalajara," Seo wrote, adding that he hoped the national team would perform well.

After the match, he returned to social media to write, "I love you, Seung-gyu," adding, "All the players gave everything, but Seung-gyu stopped two goals for us."

He also wrote that he "couldn't help but have a drink in the afternoon," and expressed his gratitude to the national team.

[AFP]
[AFP]

South Korea, coached by Hong Myung-bo, defeated the Czech Republic 2-1 in their Group A opener at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan on Thursday. Hwang In-beom of Feyenoord equalized before Oh Hyeon-gyu of Besiktas scored the winner. It was South Korea's first victory in a World Cup group-stage opener in 16 years and the fourth such win in the team's history.

황인범 동점골에 오현규 데뷔골까지…韓, 체코에 2-1 역전승

황인범 동점골에 오현규 데뷔골까지…韓, 체코에 2-1 역전승

[헤럴드경제=유동현 기자] 홍명보호가 황인범(페예노르트)의 동점 골에 이어 오현규(베식타시)가 데뷔골까지 터트리며 2026 북중미 월드컵 첫 경기에서 체코를 상대로 짜릿
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