KFA Responds to Media Mockery of Heung-min Son

The Korea Football Association has moved quickly and firmly after a leaked conversation appeared to show journalists mocking national team captain Heung-min Son over his military service.

The incident, revealed by Football Asian, involved media members picked up on a microphone joking that Son “didn’t even properly serve in the military” during a training session at South Korea’s Guadalajara base camp ahead of 2026 World Cup qualifiers in North America.

In a country where military duty is a deeply sensitive subject, the remarks cut straight to the heart of public sentiment. Son, one of South Korea’s most celebrated athletes, received an exemption from the standard 21-month service after helping his nation win gold at the 2018 Asian Games. That success allowed him to complete a shortened three-month basic training instead, in line with national regulations for exempted athletes.

The suggestion that he had somehow sidestepped his duty struck a nerve — not just with supporters, but within the national setup itself.

KFA draws a line

The Korea Football Association responded with a strongly worded statement, making it clear that the episode had shaken the camp.

“The Korea Football Association expresses regret regarding the inappropriate remarks made by some media officials during the training of the national football team at the Guadalajara base camp for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America,” the statement read.

The KFA stressed that the Taegeuk Warriors are preparing for the World Cup “with a sense of responsibility to represent South Korea on the global stage” and that the leaked exchange had caused “great shock and disappointment to the team.”

The message was unmistakable: criticism is part of the job, mockery over something as loaded as military service is not.

While the association underlined that it “respects the reporting activities and the role of the media,” it drew a clear boundary around what it believes is acceptable conduct. On-site coverage, it said, must be grounded in “mutual respect and trust,” with “respect for and protection of the players” taking priority.

Call for responsibility around Son and the squad

The KFA has not named the journalists involved, nor has it announced any formal sanctions, but it has publicly challenged media outlets and reporters to raise their standards.

“In response, the Korea Football Association requests that media outlets and reporters show greater consideration and a responsible attitude toward the national team and players to prevent similar situations from recurring,” the statement continued.

It is a rare moment where the governing body has felt compelled to step between its star player and the press, and it underlines just how central Son is to the national project. As captain, talisman, and global face of South Korean football, any slight against him reverberates far beyond a training pitch.

The association’s final note was as much a rallying cry as a reprimand. It urged “the media and members of the football community to unite in support so that the South Korean national football team can showcase its best performance on the World Cup stage,” promising to “continue to prioritise the protection of the players and strive to create a healthy media environment.”

With World Cup qualification looming and scrutiny only set to intensify, the KFA has made its stance clear: challenge the team on the pitch if you like, but cross the line of respect off it, and you will be called out.