Amid growing controversy over inappropriate remarks made by some reporters during a training session for the South Korean national football team, speculation has arisen online regarding whether a specific sports journalist was among those involved. However, neither the Korea Football Association (KFA) nor the media outlet has officially confirmed the journalist's involvement to date.
On June 18, various online communities and social media platforms saw posts circulating the name and profile of a specific sports journalist, referred to as Reporter A. The posts included a clip from an interview conducted shortly after an A-match, where Reporter A posed aggressive questions to Son Heung-min regarding his performance with the national team. At that time, Reporter A asked, "You score well for your club, but why have you gone silent for three consecutive national team matches?" This left Son visibly taken aback.
In another interview, Reporter A questioned head coach Hong Myung-bo about Son's performance, inquiring whether he would continue to be utilized in the lineup. Coach Hong responded, "Son is the core of our team," reaffirming his unwavering trust in the player.
In response, netizens have claimed that the voice in the controversial remarks made during the training session resembles that of Reporter A, sharing posts from his social media accounts.
Additionally, Reporter A's posts included comments on the national team's match results and player performances. In one post, he stated, "If Son Heung-min or Lee Kang-in had scored just one of those chances yesterday, wouldn't we have won? How can we win when we miss those opportunities? But why is only the coach being criticized?" He also expressed mixed feelings about the team's performance, saying, "Today, strangely, when the first goal went in, I felt relieved, but when we conceded the equalizer, I was frustrated. When Son scored, I felt a surge of hope, and when Jumin-kyu scored the clincher, I sighed in relief. Oh, let's do better, okay?" He concluded with, "In the end, all that remains is Son's trembling eyes from that outing."
The tensions between the national team and the media corps have also drawn attention. On June 17, Metro Newspaper reported that complaints had been raised within the national team regarding two specific journalists, with players demanding action from the media corps. According to the report, one of the journalists involved expressed a willingness to apologize to the team and stated he would refrain from covering future national team events, while the media outlet of the other journalist maintained that the request for access restrictions was excessive and upheld its existing coverage policy.
The majority of netizens reacting to the posts expressed concerns, stating, "The mockery of specific players is excessive," and "It seems like objectivity has been lost."
Conversely, some voices urged caution, arguing, "We cannot determine intent solely based on social media posts," and "The allegations currently raised have not been confirmed as facts."
Meanwhile, the KFA and the relevant media outlet are reportedly conducting an official investigation and considering follow-up actions. However, there are calls for a careful approach regarding the posts circulating online about the specific journalist.
Netizens have emphasized that "respect for players should come first," stating, "While questions and criticism are acceptable, mockery is not," and that both the national team and the media need to restore trust as they monitor the ongoing controversy.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.