 "Even though I can't speak Korean, I'm so proud of being an ethnic Korean," said 27 year-old soldier Trevor Robinson, who was adopted by an American couple. Robinson was among the crowd of 200,000 cheering for South Korea against Spain on June 22, in Suseong-gu, Daegu, shouting "Dae-Han-Min-Guk," dresses in red with short hair.
At the moment when the team edged Spain in the shootout after 120minutes of battling, he hugged the person next to him. Tears welled up in his eyes as if long-harbored agonies were wiped away, as he joined the victory parade along with residents, putting their arms on each other's shoulders and dancing through the streets.
"The 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea Japan made me crazy about soccer," said Robinson, who was above all fascinated by the passionate cheering rallies on the streets, though he was also happy with South Korea's consecutive beating of world soccer stalwarts.
Adopted in 1977 through the Holt Institute, Robinson is currently working as a liaison sergeant for the US Camp Carol base in Gyeongbuk Province since 1998.
Unlike typical soldiers who return to the United States after one year of service, Robinson has been remaining in the country to look for his birth parents. However, he has had difficulty in finding them due to a lack of references; as a baby he was found in Donghodong, Dong-gu, Daegu on November 30, 1976.
"I've got to love the country thanks to the friendly Koreans that I've met with so far. I would like to stay here even if I can't find my birth parents, after military service."
(Kim Min-gu, roadrunner@chosun.com )
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