SOUTH KOREA: AMERICAN FOOTBALL - American football star Hines Ward gets a heroes' welcome back in his native South Korea after being crowned Super Bowl's most valuable player.

Record ID: 206220

  • Title: SOUTH KOREA: AMERICAN FOOTBALL - American football star Hines Ward gets a heroes' welcome back in his native South Korea after being crowned Super Bowl's most valuable player.
  • Date: 5th April 2006
  • Summary: SEMI CLOSE UP: WARD AND HIS MOTHER WAVING AT MEDIA
  • Embargoed: 20th April 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAE11XB359FOQDKY3X2I981451P
  • Story Text: South Korea welcomed the return of its new-found sports hero Hines Ward on Monday (April 3), amid celebrations for the Korean-American football star who left as a toddler, but also questions over how the country treats mixed-race children.
    Ward, 30, crowned the Super Bowl's most valuable player, was born in Seoul in a modest household to an African-American father who was a U.S. serviceman and a South Korean mother. He left when he was little over a year old.
    Ward and his mother returned to Korea for a 10-day tour, where the two are scheduled to visit Ward's family, tour the country and meet mixed-raced children.
    A scrum of more than 100 reporters and photographers greeted the two on arrival at Inchon airport, near Seoul. National broadcaster YTN carried the arrival live and called the event "the return of the hero".
    With a big smile, Ward told reporters about his plans: "Go sightseeing, go look where my mom grew up, eat some Korean food and just enjoy the festivities everything you know about Korea," he said.
    Most South Koreans knew little of Ward, a wide receiver with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and almost nothing of the National Football League, until the Steelers triumphed over the Seattle Seahawks in February to win the Super Bowl.
    The day after the game, his picture was splashed across the front pages of South Korean newspapers.
    The media frenzy continued on Tuesday (April 4) when more than 200 reporters attended a news conference held by Ward at a hotel in downtown Seoul.
    Ward said he was not sure Korea would receive him since he was half-Korean.
    "You know everything worked its way out and we won the Superbowl and now by winning the Superbowl we getting all the media attention so my expectations I didn't really know what to expect I was just more nervous than anything because you know I didn't know the type of reaction that I would get over here but this is very overwhelming trust me," he said.
    Due to a strict family registry system, a traditionally closed society and a history of leaders speaking of the pride of pure Korean blood, mixed race children often say they find themselves ostracised in South Korean society.
    But after his most valuable player award in the Super Bowl in February and with his heart-warming tale of being raised alone by his poor immigrant mother in Georgia, Ward became an instant celebrity in South Korea, which embraced him as a new-found sports hero.
    Now Ward says he is proud of his heritage and was excited to meet his relatives for the first time.
    "You know it's unfortunate because here I am 30-years-old now and it's the first time I'm meeting my cousins and its just you know even though I haven't seen them you know I love them because they're a part of my family," Ward said.
    Ward and his mother were also invited to meet South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun at the presidential Blue House. Ward presented the president with a Steelers jersey, hat and a football. Roh later completed a five-yard (five metre) pass to the sure-handed receiver.
    "Children in South Korea look at Hines Ward and have big dreams," President Roh told Ward before lunch was served.
    Ward said it was a pleasure to be a role model for Korean kids.
    "That's why this trip to Korea was special for me because you know I wanna know more about my roots or my Korean heritage and to have an influence on the Korean youth," Ward replied.
    Ward has been receiving more attention than most heads of state who visit Seoul. He said he hopes to return to Korea again and said he was in talks with the Pearl Buck foundation to help mixed-race children.
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