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South Korea's World Cup squad skips press after remarks about Son Heung-min

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 25, 2026, 3:40 AM

Last updated Jun 25, 2026

South Korea's World Cup squad skips press after remarks about Son Heung-min

Summary

South Korea's World Cup squad chose to skip interviews with domestic media following disparaging comments made about captain Son Heung-min. An image circulating online that claimed to show the team announcing a media boycott has been identified as AI-generated, with no official verification. The team cancelled planned interviews after a video surfaced in which reporters mocked Son's military service. The KFA has called for responsible media conduct and conveyed that player communication with media has since resumed. Authorities are expected to continue discussions regarding media relations going forward.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

By the Numbers

•South Korea's squad skipped media interviews post-match against Czech Republic on June 11.
•Disparaging remarks about Son Heung-min triggered the boycott.
•Circulating announcement image of boycott identified as AI-generated.
•KFA has urged for greater media consideration towards players.
•Team communication with media has resumed following the incident.

Latest Updates

3:40 AMYahoo Sports — Image of South Korean World Cup squad announcing boycott of press is AI-generated

What they're saying

"
South Korea's World Cup squad skipped interviews with domestic press after reporters made disparaging remarks about captain Son Heung-min, but an image circulating on social media purportedly showing the team announcing the boycott is AI-generated. There have also been no official photos or videos showing such an announcement, while the circulating image closely resembles footage of the Argentinian team announcing they would boycott their national press in November 2016.
— Yahoo Sports

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