South Korea's national football team began boycotting media duties on June 16, 2026, after leaked audio revealed reporters making derogatory remarks about captain Son Heung-min's military service during an open training session in Guadalajara on June 7 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. The incident led to players refusing media interviews and barred them from speaking to South Korean journalists outside FIFA-mandated obligations [3, 5, 6].
The Korean Football Association (KFA) issued a statement expressing regret over the inappropriate comments, calling the leaked conversation a source of "great shock and disappointment to the team." The KFA pledged to protect the squad and promote a healthier media environment [1].
Son, 33, was exempted from South Korea's mandatory approximately 21-month military service after winning gold at the 2018 Asian Games with the national team [1, 2, 4, 5, 6]. Instead, he completed alternative duties including a three-week basic military training course in 2020 and community service [1, 2, 4, 5, 6]. The leaked footage mocked this alternative service, fueling controversy.
The boycotting of media duties caused several interviews to be canceled and has limited access for South Korean media to the players during World Cup coverage [3, 5, 6]. Mexican media reported that South Korean team media officers met with Korean journalists to discuss and ease tensions following the incident [3, 5, 6]. Reports also surfaced that one South Korean team media officer resigned, though this has not been officially confirmed by the team [3, 5, 6].
The controversy emerged shortly after Son's transfer from Tottenham Hotspur to Los Angeles FC in 2025 and days after South Korea defeated the Czech Republic 2-1 in their opening World Cup match [5, 6].
Preparations for South Korea's next World Cup match against Mexico on June 17 have continued amid ongoing restrictions on media access for Korean reporters [4, 6].
