As South Korea’s men’s national football team gears up for a critical Group A World Cup match against host-nation Mexico in Guadalajara on Thursday, the squad’s pre-game preparations have been thrown off balance by a public feud between players and members of South Korea’s domestic press. The conflict erupted after disparaging on-camera remarks targeting team captain Son Heung-min were leaked to the public, sparking widespread outrage and a collective boycott of unofficial media interactions by the South Korean roster.
The controversy traces back to an open training session held on June 7, just days before South Korea kicked off its 2026 World Cup campaign with a tense 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic. During the session, unidentified South Korean media personnel were caught on camera mocking 33-year-old Son for his mandatory military service status, according to footage captured by JTBC, South Korea’s official broadcast rights holder for the tournament. The clip was subsequently leaked to the public, triggering a fierce backlash across South Korean social media platforms.
Unlike most able-bodied South Korean men, Son secured an exemption from the country’s required 21-month mandatory military service after helping South Korea claim a gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games. In line with regulatory requirements, the Tottenham Hotspur turned Los Angeles FC forward has since completed all mandated alternative service obligations, including a three-week basic military training course in 2020 and required community service work.
In a formal statement released on Monday, the Korea Football Association (KFA) acknowledged the damage caused by the incident, saying it regretted “the inappropriate remarks made by some media personnel during the national football team’s training at the Guadalajara base camp.” The governing body added that the comments have left “great shock and disappointment” rippling through the entire national team squad. The KFA also committed to taking action to prevent similar incidents moving forward, noting that it “will continue to prioritize the protection of the squad and strive to create a healthy media environment.”
Local South Korean media reports indicate that in response to the incident, all South Korean national team players have refused to engage with domestic reporters outside of pre-scheduled, mandatory official World Cup media commitments. Multiple pre-arranged one-on-one and group interviews with players have already been canceled amid the standoff. The KFA did not provide an immediate additional comment when contacted by the Associated Press for further details on the boycott and ongoing dispute.
On the pitch, Son’s performance in South Korea’s opening win against the Czech Republic drew mixed attention, as the star forward missed multiple scoring chances despite the team’s eventual 2-1 result, with goals from Hwang In-beom and Oh Hyeon-gyu securing all three points in Guadalajara. All eyes will now be on Son and the unsettled South Korean squad as they take the pitch against Mexico on Thursday evening local time for their second Group A match, with the controversy off the field adding an extra layer of tension to a critical World Cup fixture.