Soccer Star Son Heung Min’s Father Accused Of Child Abuse

Korean soccer star Son Heung Min’s family has gotten increasingly entangled in accusations of assaulting students at their soccer academy. Previously, we reported on the allegations brought against Son’s brother, Son Heung Yun. Around the same time, it was reported that Son’s father, Son Woong Jung, and two other coaches at his academy had allegedly verbally and physically abused a young athlete.

According to the local police, the parents of the athlete in question filed a complaint with the concerned authorities on March 19. They named Son Woong Jung and two other coaches at the Son Football Academy, where the senior Son is a director, of verbally abusing their child for making mistakes and failing to keep up with the training. The incident occurred during a training camp on the Japanese island of Okinawa between March 7 and 12.

A coach of this academy was also accused of beating the same child with a corner flag on March 9. The trainees were reportedly instructed to run from the goalpost to the halfway line within 20 seconds, and four of them failed to do so. These four students were allegedly struck with the flagstick while in a plank position. The parents told the authorities that they found out about the incident after spotting a bruise on their son’s thigh after he returned from the camp.

Another coach at the academy has been accused of repeatedly beating young students on the buttocks and thighs in their living quarters. Some additional claims also mentioned that he pulled the boys’ hair or hit them on the head.

Son Woong Jung spoke to the media about the accusations, saying that many of these claims were different from the truth. He said that the alleged beatings were a form of punishment rooted in the intention of the young athletes’ betterment. He also added that the parents had demanded “hundreds of millions of won” from the academy in damages, which they found unacceptable.

I regret that I have failed to recognize the changing times and standards set by the law and instructed the children in my own way. I vow to find another way, so the kids will be able to concentrate the best they can on the field and commit to the training.

— Son Woong Jung, Yonhap

Son Woong Jung, the father of the South Korean national soccer team’s captain, Son Heung Min, was himself a soccer player. In Son Heung Min’s initial days, his father was the one who supervised his disciplinary training. His training tactics with his son have long been a debatable topic among South Korean fans, as he openly admitted to using corporal punishment with him as well.