The recent incident involving South Korean captain Son Heung-min and his country's media has turned into quite a distraction for the team during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The incident took place during South Korea's preparations for their group-stage matches, when Korean journalists were caught on microphone mocking Son's military service exemption, which prompted the entire squad to launch a media boycott.
Remarks made by certain media personnel suggesting that Son did not properly serve in the military, which is mandatory for South Korean men in the age bracket of 18 to 28, were inadvertently broadcast and leaked online, which quickly went viral on multiple platforms.
In response to this, the Korea Football Association responded with an official statement condemning the incident while the players too rallied behind their captain and refrained from interacting with the South Korean press.
Im the statement the KFA expressed their disappointment over the inappropriate remarks made at the Guadalajara base camp.
"The Korea Football Association expresses regret over the inappropriate remarks made by some media personnel during the national football team's training at the Guadalajara base camp," the statement read.
Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images
The federation further noted that the Taegeuk Warriors were doing their best to represent South Korea on soccer's biggest stage.
"With a sense of responsibility to represent South Korea on the global stage of the World Cup, the Taegeuk Warriors are doing their best to repay the support and expectations of the people. However, the recent leak of inappropriate conversations between some media officials at a training site caused great shock and disappointment to the team."
The fallout also led to the resignation of a South Korean press corps official and the cancellation of several planned player interviews.
Why Was Son Heung-min Exempt From Mandatory Military Service?
The controversy has renewed public interest in how the LAFC forward secured his exemption in the first place.
As per South Korean law, athletes who win an Olympic medal or an Asian Games gold are granted a special exemption that allows them to forgo full mandatory conscription to continue their professional sports careers, provided they fulfill alternative requirements.
Son who led the national team to a gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games was able to utilise this law and was eventually exempted from mandatory service.
Without this exemption, a prolonged absence would have forced Son to put his soccer career on hold for almost two years, which would have had a detrimental impact on his peak years with Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.
Although he was exempted, the LAFC forward was still required to complete a alternative service program which included approximately 500 hours of community service alongside a three-week basic military training program. He completed this basic training in 2020 with the Republic of Korea Marine Corps where he participated in live-fire drills, 30-kilometer hikes, and tear gas exposure.
Amid the off-field tension, South Korea managed to secure a 2-1 comeback victory over the Czech Republic and will face tournament co-hosts Mexico tonight in a Group A fixture.
