According to Chosun, as the charges against the three are not severe, it is likely that the authorities will handle the case through written proceedings rather than a public trial.
Son Woong-jung and the two coaches are accused of mistreating C, a trainee at the football academy “Son Soccer.” C reported being attacked by Coach Son Heung-yoon at the coaching camp in Okinawa, Japan, in March and has been verbally abused by Son Woong-jung and others since November 2023 for mistakes made during training and matches.
South Korean media has also revealed a video showing inappropriate comments made by coaches at Son Soccer towards the trainees. When handling the ball poorly, trainees were reprimanded and even cursed at.
After the incident was publicized, Son Woong-jung issued a heartfelt apology and asserted that there was no malice intended.
“I swear that none of the actions or words of the coaches at the academy were without love for the children,” he said. “We understand that what we did was against the law. We have been teaching the children according to our own principles.”
Son Woong-jung is credited with the success of his star son, Son Heung-min. In an interview, Son admitted that his father’s strict training helped him strive to become an outstanding player.
Despite being a respected figure in youth training in South Korea, the recent incident has severely impacted Son Woong-jung’s reputation and has also affected the reputation of Son Heung-min.
