Son Heung-min Military Service Mocking Sparks Media Rift at World Cup

South Korea's World Cup campaign in Mexico has been overshadowed by a significant rift between the national team and domestic media following disparaging comments about captain Son Heung-min. The incident occurred during an open training session on June 7, when unidentified media personnel mocked the 33-year-old player over his military service record while he was running with teammates. Footage of the remarks, recorded by broadcaster JTBC (South Korea's official tournament rights holder), was subsequently leaked and triggered strong backlash on social media.

The controversy reportedly led to the resignation of one of the team's media officers on Tuesday, though the South Korean Football Association has not officially confirmed the departure. In response, South Korea implemented strict media restrictions, cutting off press access and instructing players to avoid speaking with domestic media outside of official World Cup commitments. Scheduled player interviews were canceled, and a meeting was held between team media officials and South Korean journalists to discuss the incident.

Son earned an exemption from South Korea's mandatory 21-month military service after helping the nation win gold at the 2018 Asian Games. He subsequently completed alternative duties, including a three-week military training course in 2020 and community service. The South Korean Football Association expressed regret over "the inappropriate remarks made by some media personnel," stating the comments caused "great shock and disappointment" within the squad. The federation pledged to "continue to prioritize the protection of the squad and strive to create a healthy media environment."

The timing of the incident added to the disruption, occurring just days before South Korea's successful 2-1 debut victory over the Czech Republic, with goals from Hwang In-beom and Oh Hyeon-gyu. Son, who transferred from Tottenham to Los Angeles FC a year prior, missed several scoring opportunities in that match. South Korea faces Mexico on Thursday in Guadalajara in Group A play.