GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) — South Korea’s preparations for Thursday’s World Cup match against Mexico have been overshadowed by a rift between players and domestic media following disparaging comments about captain Son Heung-min that were caught on camera.The Korea Football Association said it regretted “the inappropriate remarks made by some media personnel during the national football team’s training at the Guadalajara base camp.” The organization added the comments caused “great shock and disappointment” within the squad.The incident occurred during an open training session on June 7, days before South Korea opened its World Cup campaign with a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic.The 33-year-old Son, running with teammates, was mocked by unidentified media personnel over his military record in footage recorded by broadcaster JTBC, South Korea’s official rights holder for the tournament. The video was later leaked, prompting a strong reaction on social media.
By helping South Korea win gold at the 2018 Asian Games, Son earned an exemption from the mandatory 21-month military service required of able-bodied men.
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Son later completed alternative duties, including a three-week military training course in 2020 and community service.The federation said in Monday’s statement that it “will continue to prioritize the protection of the squad and strive to create a healthy media environment.”
