The Korea Republic has boycotted their domestic media at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after alleged derogatory remarks made about captain Son Heung-min were leaked online. The controversy began after a mic conversation mocked the former Tottenham star’s military service.
South Korea began their World Cup campaign on June 12, securing three points after a 2-1 draw over Czechia. They will next play Mexico on June 18, followed by South Africa on June 24. However, a major controversy has erupted amid the ongoing tournament, leading to a clash between the national team and their own domestic media corps.
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As per Football-Asian, the Korea Football Association (KFA) has issued a public statement issued an official statement condemning their domestic media, after a leaked mic conversation revealed derogatory remarks made about captain Son Heung-min. The leaked conversation took place during a FIFA World Cup open training session, where Son was seen running slightly away from the main group. The conversation had a reporter mocking Son’s exemption from the mandatory military service in Korea, and said:
“He didn’t even properly serve in the military.”
The reporter appeared to mock Son Heung-min’s three-week basic training stint while commenting that he was exempted from serving 21 months in the military. The former Tottenham star legally earned his exemption after he led South Korea to a gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games.
The incident has led to widespread criticism of the Korean domestic media at the FIFA World Cup, with the South Korean team boycotting any media interaction. After their win in the opening game against Czechia, Son Heung-min did not interact with the media at the mixed zone.
Secretary of the South Korean FIFA World Cup press corps resigns amid clash with the national team
According to reports via Football-Asian, the Secretary of the South Korean FIFA World Cup press corps has resigned after the clash with the national team. The corps has also accepted full responsibility after the breach of ethical regulations and overall breakdown in relations.
The KFA, however, have taken the boycott of the Korean corps at the FIFA World Cup seriously. The aforementioned report also mentions that a domestic newspaper was ordered to retract an interview conducted with midfielder Lee Dong-gyeong on a rest day.
Further, another scheduled interview with midfielder Hwang In-beom, who scored and delivered an assist in South Korea’s opening game at the World Cup, was also cancelled on Sunday (June 14). Reporters allegedly mentioned “scheduling conflicts”, although it appears to be a part of the boycott of the KFA and the national team players.
Despite the internal conflicts, South Korea remains focused on its remaining two group stages to qualify for the Round of 32.
Edited by Pratyasha Sarkar
