The former Tottenham Hotspur star was exempted from the 21-month mandatory military service required by able-bodied men, after captaining his nation to a 2018 Asian Games victory, before completing a three-week basic training programme in 2020.
What happened
Reports surfaced of a player-led media boycott after footage was released in which unnamed reporters could be heard ridiculing the captain’s exemption from standard military service during a pre-filmed tournament session in Guadalajara on June 7th.
The footage was said to have come from broadcaster JTBC, the country’s official rights holder for the tournament.
Following this, the Los Angeles FC star was said to have declined the opportunity to speak to the media following the Taegeuk Warriors’ win over fellow Group A side Czechia in the early hours of Saturday morning.
FOTO: Hwang In-Beom celebrates scoring against Czechia in South Korea’s opening game of 2026 World Cup – Getty Images / Alex Slitz
The Korean Football Association released a statement on Monday addressing the situation.
“The Korea Football Association expresses regret over the inappropriate remarks made by some media personnel during the national football team’s training at the Guadalajara base camp.
“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.
“However, the recent leak of inappropriate conversations between some media officials at a training site caused great shock and disappointment to the team.”
The federation said they “will continue to prioritize the protection of the squad and strive to create a healthy media environment.”
According to local reports, the rest of the team have also refused to speak to domestic media and will only speak during official mandated FIFA interviews.
What happens now?
Despite this, the team are said to be united. Son was seen looking after teammates, including goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu, treating him to a taco dinner in Guadalajara during their free time.
While manager Hong Myung-bo was observed playfully interacting with talisman Lee Kang-in during training.
As the team prepare for a crucial match against fellow Group A side Mexico, they will be ready with or without the backing of their domestic media, as they march onwards.