South Korean players are reportedly refraining from speaking to domestic media outside of official World Cup engagements.
Published June 16, 2026
South Korea’s preparations for the World Cup match against Mexico have been overshadowed by a rift between the players and the South Korean media following disparaging remarks about captain Son Heung-min.
The altercation reportedly led to the resignation of one of the team’s media representatives on Tuesday. Although the national team has not yet confirmed his resignation, some media covering the Korean national team in Guadalajara reported it.
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Media access appears to have been cut off after comments about Son were caught on camera. Players reportedly refrained from speaking to South Korean media outside of official World Cup engagements, and scheduled interviews with players were also cancelled.
Mexican media reported that there was a meeting between team spokespersons and South Korean media to discuss the incident.
There was no media access scheduled for Tuesday. A pregame press conference is scheduled for Wednesday.
The Korea Football Association said it regretted the “inappropriate comments made by some members of the media during the national soccer team’s practice at its base camp in Guadalajara.” The organization added that the comments caused “huge shock and disappointment” within the team.
The incident occurred during an open practice on June 7, just days before South Korea defeated the Czech Republic 2-1 in their first World Cup match.
The 33-year-old Song, who was running with his teammates, was mocked by unidentified members of the media over his military background in a video recorded by South Korean broadcaster JTBC, the official rights holder of the event. The video was later leaked and caused a huge stir on social media.
For helping South Korea win the gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games, Son was exempted from the 21-month military service requirement for able-bodied athletes.
Mr. Song subsequently completed alternative assignments in 2020, including a three-week military training course and community service.
“We continue to prioritize the protection of our teams and strive to create a healthy media environment,” the federation said in a statement Monday.
Son, who moved from Tottenham to Los Angeles FC a year ago, missed a chance to win against the Czech Republic, with Hwang In-beom and Oh Hyun-gyu scoring in the match against Guadalajara.
South Korea will face Mexico in Group A on Thursday and will play again in Guadalajara.
