'Absurd Hearing Gaffe' Son Heung-min Leaves Korea... Prepares for MLS Second Half After Overcoming World Cup Pain

*This content was translated by AI.

Son Heung-min (34, LAFC), captain of the South Korean national football team, has departed for the United States after a brief rest following the 2026 FIFA North, Central America and Caribbean Cup.

According to LAFC X and other outlets reporting on LAFC on the 11th (Korean time), Son Heung-min boarded a flight bound for Los Angeles, USA, through Incheon International Airport the previous afternoon. This comes ten days after he returned home bitterly following the confirmed elimination of South Korea from the group stage of the North American Cup on the 1st.

Son Heung-min, who had such strong determination to participate in this World Cup that he left England's Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur to join LAFC in the United States, bowed his head after appearing in three matches (starting two) without recording any attacking points. The South Korean national team also had to return home early after being eliminated from the group stage.

In particular, Son Heung-min was substituted off in the early-to-mid second half after starting in the first and second group stage matches against Czech Republic and Mexico, and was even excluded from the starting lineup for the final match against South Africa, which determined whether they would advance to the round of 32, only being brought on as a substitute in the second half. This usage of Son Heung-min by coach Hong Myung-bo during this tournament drew strong criticism both domestically and internationally.

Through social media, he apologized, saying, "I sincerely want to apologize first and foremost to the people of South Korea and to all fans who love football." After his bitter return home, he took a brief rest in Korea.

Recently, he also experienced an absurd gaffe where he was selected as a witness for the Korean Football Association's hearing but was later withdrawn.

The National Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee decided to hold a hearing on issues related to the Korean Football Association on the 22nd, and Lim O-gyeong (Rep.), a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, applied to have Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton) appear as witnesses.

However, criticism was raised that calling players as witnesses for hearings regarding the Korean Football Association's administration, such as the process of appointing coach Hong Myung-bo, was inappropriate. Furthermore, Son Heung-min's club schedule with his current team was already set before and after the hearing.

Ultimately, Lim O-gyeong (Rep.) stated, "I applied to have them appear as witnesses to hear the voices of active players who have experienced the association, the national team, and overseas football systems, but withdrew the application considering the party's opinion and the players' match schedules."

Upon arriving in Los Angeles, Son Heung-min will soon join his club LAFC. He is scheduled to play his first match of the second half as early as 11:25 a.m. on the 18th against LA Galaxy in an MLS away game. Additionally, he will face Salt Lake City on the 23rd and Sporting Kansas City on the 26th, before participating in the MLS All-Star Game against Liga MX All-Stars on the 30th.

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*This content was translated by AI.