KFA Condemns Journalists Over Heung-min Son Remarks
The Korea Football Association has moved swiftly to condemn a group of journalists after a leaked conversation appeared to mock national team captain Heung-min Son over his military service.
The remarks, captured on a microphone during training at South Korea’s Guadalajara base camp ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in North America, suggested Son “didn’t even properly serve in the military” – a line that has triggered anger inside the national camp and beyond.
Son, one of the country’s most high-profile athletes, received an exemption from the full 21-month mandatory service after helping South Korea win gold at the 2018 Asian Games. That achievement allowed him to complete a shortened three-month basic training instead, a process carried out within the legal framework and under intense public scrutiny at the time.
This week’s off-air comments have reopened a sensitive topic. They have also drawn a firm response from the game’s governing body.
KFA draws a line
In a strongly worded statement titled “Message of advice regarding media activities related to the South Korean national football team,” the Korea Football Association made clear its displeasure.
It said it “expresses regret regarding the inappropriate remarks made by some media officials during the training of the national football team at the Guadalajara base camp for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America,” stressing that the leak had caused “great shock and disappointment to the team.”
The KFA underlined that the Taegeuk Warriors are working under the weight of expectation, “with a sense of responsibility to represent South Korea on the global stage of the World Cup” and to repay the backing of their supporters. The idea that their captain’s service could be belittled, even in private, has clearly cut deep.
The association did not name the journalists involved, nor did it outline any formal sanctions. Instead, it focused on the standards it expects from those granted access to the national side.
Respect, access, and a warning to the press
The KFA was careful to acknowledge the importance of the media, stating that it “respects the reporting activities and the role of the media.” Access, though, comes with conditions.
On-site coverage, the statement insisted, “must also be conducted based on mutual respect and trust, and respect for and protection of the players must take precedence.” In other words, the privilege of being close to the team demands a basic level of professionalism, even when the cameras are off and the microphones are thought to be silent.
The association has now called on outlets and reporters to show “greater consideration and a responsible attitude toward the national team and players to prevent similar situations from recurring.”
That is more than a polite request. It reads as a clear warning: cross the line again, and the relationship between the national side and sections of the press may change.
World Cup on the horizon
With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon and preparations underway in Mexico, the last thing South Korea needed was a distraction centred on their captain and national service – an issue that remains highly charged in Korean society.
The KFA closed its statement with a broader appeal, urging “the media and members of the football community to unite in support so that the South Korean national football team can showcase its best performance on the World Cup stage,” and promising to “continue to prioritise the protection of the players and strive to create a healthy media environment.”
South Korea’s players will now attempt to refocus on football. The question is whether the country’s media, after this public rebuke, will do the same.
