Video from an open training session of the Korean national team in Mexico captured a voice saying 'guys who never even served in the military,' directed at Son Heung-min as he trained. Money Today, Financial News, and XSports News reported.

The KFA and the squad's response

The Korea Football Association expressed strong regret and issued an official statement. The squad moved to implement a media boycott—temporarily limiting interviews with domestic media—in response to the incident. For this decision to come with the World Cup imminent is seen as highly unusual.

The Telegraph and other overseas outlets covered the affair, bringing the friction between the Korean squad and local media to international attention. Some broadcasters issued denials that the voice belonged to their reporters, but the episode reopened public debate in Korea about media ethics and elite athletes' military obligations.

Son Heung-min fulfilled his service obligation through an alternative military-service arrangement. The issue touches a long-running debate in Korean society about elite athletes and compulsory military service, and analysts say this incident has brought that debate back into public view.