Controversy has erupted online following inappropriate remarks made by reporters during a training session of the South Korean national football team.
On June 9, various online communities and social media platforms quickly shared a video filmed during the training session.
The footage shows team captain Son Heung-min running a wider range than his teammates to improve his condition. However, the video also captured conversations among individuals believed to be reporters on site.
One individual in the video made comments directed at Son Heung-min, saying, "Is he running like a squad leader because he's the captain?" and, "He runs like he's in the military," followed by, "Is it because he's the captain?"
Another person responded with, "Those who haven't even served in the military, geez," and, "They don't even know the military's 'mil' (military) at all," which sparked shock. The first individual laughed and replied, "I did a little bit, you know."
A woman present at the scene attempted to intervene, indicating that their conversation could be recorded, but the discussion continued.
As the video spread online and the controversy grew, JTBC, which posted the original video, made it private and released an edited version with the problematic remarks removed.
JTBC clarified in a comment that the controversial remarks were made by unspecified individuals present at the scene and not by their reporters.
They stated, "The muted portions of the video do not contain the voices of JTBC reporters," explaining that the audio included voices from a group of unspecified individuals.
They added, "At the time, JTBC was focused on covering Son Heung-min's training and did not recognize the remarks. We later identified the issue through comments and determined that the language used could be offensive to anyone, so we immediately muted it."
However, online reactions included comments such as, "Why connect military service with football skills?" and, "There is no sense of respect for the player," as well as, "This is not something that should be said at a national team training session." Others expressed disbelief that reporters present continued the conversation despite recognizing the issue.
Some netizens criticized the remarks as revealing a long-standing bias against athletes who have not fulfilled their military duties, stating, "This is not the level of conversation expected in a public reporting environment."
Meanwhile, the identity of the individual who made the remarks has not been officially confirmed. However, the rapid spread of the video suggests that discussions regarding inappropriate behavior and professional ethics in the reporting environment will continue.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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