“Using retirement as a threat? Completely unfounded!” Five, including Heung-min Son and Kim Min-jae, issue joint statement drawing a line under national team feud rumors

[Financial News] Rumors of factional infighting between the ’92 and ’96 lines, along with the retirement controversy that had rocked South Korea’s national team, have finally been put to rest. Those involved met face to face to clear up misunderstandings and issued a joint statement drawing a line under baseless rumors.
Five players—key members and among the most senior in the national team: Heung-min Son (LAFC) and Lee Jae-sung (Mainz) of the ’92 line, and Kim Min-jae (FC Bayern Munich), Hwang Hee-chan (Schalke) and Hwang In-beom (Porto) of the ’96 line—issued a joint statement through the KFA on the 12th. “We want to put unnecessary controversy behind us and focus on the national team we will build together going forward,” they said. “We have played together for Korean football for a long time, and we are teammates who will continue to pursue the same goal.”
Recently, the national team was rocked by deep internal discord as discontent over the captain’s leadership grew and rumors spread that players in the ’96 line had hinted at retiring from the national team immediately after the September and October international matches. Public sentiment worsened further when allegations emerged that they had tried to force through specific demands by wielding retirement as a threat.
The five players chose to address the issue head-on through direct conversations, immediately after being called up to Doha, Qatar, for the team’s November tour of the Middle East.


In their statement, they strongly denied the most controversial claim—that retirement was conditional. “This did not stem from personal conflict with any particular player or from interests related to a specific issue, but from a shared concern that the national team needed to improve,” they said. They set the record straight: “It is completely untrue that we tried to force through specific demands on the condition that we retire.”
They also acknowledged that there had been little opportunity for conversation because they had been scattered across their respective clubs for their schedules. “During this call-up, we were able to better understand one another’s positions by directly listening to and explaining things we had not had enough chance to discuss,” they said. They explained why they issued a joint statement: “We were concerned that stating our positions individually could lead to further misunderstandings, be perceived as conflict among the players and obscure our original intent.”

The Taeguk Warriors who have put the controversy behind them are now turning their attention to the pitch. Pledging to prepare thoroughly for the Asian Cup, which has been postponed by a year, they said, “We know that what the public expects is sincerity and good performances on the field rather than explanations. We will give our very best as one team and repay the public for their encouragement and support.”
The Robert Moreno-led side, having resolved its differences and become a “one team” once more, will take the field for two consecutive Middle East matches to close out 2026: against Saudi Arabia on the 13th and Qatar on the 17th.


[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter