KFA Condemns Inappropriate Remarks About Heung-min Son's Military Service
The Korea Football Association has moved quickly and firmly after a leaked conversation appeared to show journalists mocking national team captain Heung‑min Son over his military service.
The governing body issued a strongly worded statement condemning “inappropriate remarks” made by “some media officials” during South Korea’s training camp in Guadalajara ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in North America.
The incident came to light when Football Asian reported that several journalists, caught on microphone, had belittled Son’s national service, claiming he “didn’t even properly serve in the military.”
Son, one of the country’s most high-profile athletes, received exemption from the standard 21-month military posting after leading South Korea to Asian Games gold in 2018. That success allowed him to complete a shortened three-month basic training instead, a path fully permitted under South Korean law and widely understood at the time as a reward for delivering a major sporting achievement for the nation.
The leaked comments have cut deep inside the national camp.
In its statement, the KFA said it “expresses regret regarding the inappropriate remarks” made during training at the Guadalajara base, stressing that the Taegeuk Warriors are working “with a sense of responsibility to represent South Korea on the global stage of the World Cup” and “to repay the support and expectations of the people.”
The association underlined that the leaked exchanges had caused “great shock and disappointment to the team.”
There was no attempt to downplay the role of the press. The KFA reiterated that it “respects the reporting activities and the role of the media,” but drew a clear line, insisting that “on-site reporting must also be conducted based on mutual respect and trust, and respect for and protection of the players must take precedence.”
The message was unmistakable: access comes with responsibility.
Calling for higher standards, the KFA “requests that media outlets and reporters show greater consideration and a responsible attitude toward the national team and players to prevent similar situations from recurring.”
The statement then widened its scope, appealing not only to journalists but to the broader football community to rally behind the side as they prepare for the World Cup stage. “I ask 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,” it read.
The association closed by vowing to “continue to prioritise the protection of the players and strive to create a healthy media environment.”
In a country where military service remains a deeply sensitive subject and Son stands as a symbol of modern Korean football, the fallout from a few careless remarks now stretches well beyond a training ground in Mexico.
