KFA Condemns Media Remarks on Heung-min Son's Military Service
The Korea Football Association has moved quickly to condemn a leaked conversation in which several journalists appeared to mock national team captain Heung-min Son over his military service.
The incident, revealed by Football Asian, centres on remarks picked up on a microphone during South Korea’s training camp in Guadalajara ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. In the recording, some journalists allegedly belittled Son’s national service, claiming he “didn’t even properly serve in the military.”
In South Korea, that is not a throwaway line. It cuts to the heart of a deeply sensitive national issue.
Son earned exemption from the standard 21-month military posting after helping his country win gold at the 2018 Asian Games, a triumph that allowed him to complete a shorter, three-month basic training instead. That exemption is entirely within the rules, widely known, and has long been a point of public debate. This time, though, the criticism has come from inside the camp’s own media contingent.
The KFA did not let it slide.
KFA draws a line in the sand
Issuing a formal statement, the association expressed “regret” over what it called “inappropriate remarks” made by “some media officials” during national team training at the Guadalajara base.
With the Taegeuk Warriors preparing for the World Cup in North America, the KFA framed the episode as a breach of trust at a moment when the squad is trying to carry the weight of a country’s expectations.
“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,” the statement read. “However, the recent leak of inappropriate conversations between some media officials at a training site caused great shock and disappointment to the team.”
The message was clear: the association will defend its players, and its captain in particular, from what it sees as disrespect from those granted inside access.
The KFA stressed that it “respects the reporting activities and the role of the media,” but underlined that on-site coverage “must also be conducted based on mutual respect and trust,” with “respect for and protection of the players” taking priority.
That is a pointed reminder that accreditation is a privilege, not a right.
Call for responsibility around Son and the squad
In response to the leak, the KFA has urged media outlets and reporters to show “greater consideration and a responsible attitude” towards the national team to ensure there is no repeat.
The association’s statement broadened the issue beyond one conversation, appealing to the wider football community to close ranks around the players as they build towards the World Cup.
“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 on the World Cup stage,” the KFA said, adding that it would “continue to prioritise the protection of the players and strive to create a healthy media environment.”
Son, the face of South Korean football and one of Asia’s most prominent athletes, has lived much of his career under an unforgiving spotlight. This latest episode shows that, even inside a training base thousands of miles from home, the scrutiny around him and his military exemption still burns hot.
The KFA’s stance leaves little doubt: as the World Cup cycle gathers pace, anyone granted a seat close to this team will be expected to match that access with respect.
