Lawmaker raises Son Heung-min "No. 7" talk and squad rift at football audit
In short
At a National Assembly committee audit on 21 October, lawmaker Jung Yeon-wook asked Korea Football Association acting president Lee Yong-soo about reports that national team players call captain Son Heung-min "No. 7" or "that person". Lee said he was only briefly briefed on talks with 1996-born players, that locker-room matters stay in the locker room, and that the association cannot easily instruct players.
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At the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee audit on 21 October, People Power Party lawmaker Jung Yeon-wook raised reports of discord and leadership problems in the South Korean men's national football team. He asked witness Lee Yong-soo, vice president and acting president of the Korea Football Association, whether he knew that players call captain Son Heung-min (LAFC) "No. 7" or "that person" instead of his name. Jung said he wondered whether team harmony had become so uncomfortable that mentioning the name directly was awkward. In the Chosun Ilbo's account, Lee answered "Son Heung-min" when asked who was meant. [ 1 , 2 , 6 , 9 ]
Jung then presented interview videos of defender Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) and midfielder Hwang In-beom (Porto). Yonhap reported that Kim criticised the attackers' lack of defensive effort and that Hwang made remarks suggesting a leadership problem. The Chosun Ilbo quoted Kim as saying the defenders were to be pitied, and Hwang as saying the interim manager's future was uncertain and that problems were visible but nobody stepped forward. Most outlets place the interviews after a friendly with Venezuela, which the Chosun Ilbo says ended 0-0 on 2 October; Newsis places Hwang's interview after the Uzbekistan match. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Jung also asked about the "retirement fuss" involving 1996-born players Kim, Hwang In-beom and Hwang Hee-chan (Schalke) after the Uzbekistan match, the last A-match. Asia Economy reported that Hyun Young-min, the association's national team strength committee chair, met the three at length past midnight, and the Chosun Ilbo reported that they were said to be considering retiring together. Asked whether the players had voiced problems with how the national team is run, Lee answered "Yes". [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Lee said he had received only a brief report because it was an internal matter of the team. He said Hyun and the manager had agreed to keep discussing it inside the team under the principle that what happens in the locker room is resolved there. Dong-A Ilbo reported that Lee agreed when Jung asked whether he should understand that much had happened but could not be disclosed. Asked about earlier incidents, Lee told the Chosun Ilbo he could not answer that point, and Asia Economy reported that he avoided a specific reply. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 8 ]
Jung said the public would have fundamental doubts about whether the association could manage the team, why noise and conflict kept recurring, and whether any manager could repair a collapsed leadership. Yonhap, Maeil Business and Seoul Economic Daily reported that he said the association's passive attitude was feeding controversy and suspicion. Lee said it was not easy for the association to instruct or interfere in matters among players, and Asia Economy reported that he also said the association would prepare ways to improve operations rather than only watch. Lee said he hoped the team would unite around interim manager Robert Moreno and improve while preparing for the November A-matches and the Asian Cup opening in January. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
Jung cited the 2023 social media dispute between Son and Kim, the 2024 Asian Cup clash between Son and Lee Kang-in, and the World Cup interview boycott as repeated problems. Dong-A Ilbo added that Son has been captain since Paulo Bento became manager in 2018. CBS NoCut News said the same audit also covered the association's referee administration. [ 2 , 8 , 10 ]
Why it matters
The documents show the national team's reported internal friction and the football association's handling of it becoming a subject of parliamentary questioning. Lee said he hopes the team improves under interim manager Robert Moreno ahead of the November matches and the Asian Cup.
Key facts
- On 21 October, at the National Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee audit, People Power Party lawmaker Jung Yeon-wook asked whether the association knew players call captain Son Heung-min "No. 7" and "that person" instead of his name. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
- Jung played interview videos of defender Kim Min-jae and midfielder Hwang In-beom, recorded after a friendly against Venezuela according to most outlets. [ 1 , 2 , 6 , 7 , 9 ]
- Jung also raised the "retirement fuss" involving 1996-born players Kim Min-jae, Hwang In-beom and Hwang Hee-chan after the Uzbekistan match. [ 1 , 6 , 7 , 9 ]
- Lee Yong-soo, vice president and acting president of the Korea Football Association, said he received only a brief report and that the principle is that locker-room matters are resolved in the locker room. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
- Asked whether players had voiced problems with how the national team is run, Lee answered "Yes". [ 2 , 3 ]
- Lee said it is not easy for the association to instruct or interfere in players' matters inside the national team. [ 2 , 3 , 8 ]
- Lee said he hopes the team improves under interim manager Robert Moreno while preparing for the November A-matches and the Asian Cup opening in January. [ 1 , 9 , 10 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- At the 21 October committee audit, Jung Yeon-wook asked Lee Yong-soo about reports that players call Son Heung-min "No. 7" and "that person" instead of his name. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
- Lee said he was briefed only briefly and that the agreement was to keep discussing the matter within the national team under the principle that locker-room matters are settled in the locker room. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
- Lee said players had voiced problems about how the national team is run. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Jung criticised the association's passive attitude, saying it was feeding the controversy and suspicion. [ 1 , 7 , 9 , 10 ]
- Lee said the association cannot easily instruct or interfere in players' internal matters. [ 2 , 3 , 8 ]
Still unclear
- Whether players actually call Son Heung-min "No. 7" or "that person". The documents present this as talk raised by Jung at the audit; none gives evidence beyond his question, and Lee did not elaborate.
- What was said in the meeting between the three 1996-born players and the association's national team strength committee chair Hyun Young-min. Lee said he received only a brief report and declined to give details.
- Which interview followed which match. Most outlets say the Kim Min-jae and Hwang In-beom videos followed the Venezuela friendly, while Newsis says Hwang's interview came after the Uzbekistan match.
- Allegations about the association's referee administration, including a recording said to involve former referee committee chair Moon Jin-hee. Only CBS NoCut News mentions this, as another topic at the same audit, and its text is cut off.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Yonhap published its report on the audit exchange. [ 1 ]
- Chosun Ilbo published its report with quotes from the exchange. [ 2 ]
- Asia Economy published its report with Lee's statement that the association will prepare measures. [ 3 ]
- Newsis published its report. [ 4 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo published its report with background on earlier team disputes. [ 8 ]