In China, where Son Jun-ho (31, Taishan, Shandong) has been detained for six months, his teammates must play.
Jürgen Klinsmann’s men’s national team will take on the Chinese national team in the second round of the 2026 North American Football Confederations Cup Asia Region Second Qualifying Round at the Universiade Sports Center in Shenzhen, China, on May 21.레모나토토 주소
South Korea’s absolute dominance in objective power. South Korea has a 27-12-6 record against China in all competitions, including A matches and friendlies. In A matches alone, South Korea is even more dominant with 17 wins, 12 draws and 1 loss.
South Korea’s only defeat came in 2017 in the “Changsha Disaster”. South Korea, then coached by Uli Stielike, lost 0-1 to China in the sixth and final qualifying match for the World Cup in Russia. It was the first loss to China in Korean soccer history, and it sent shockwaves through the country. Son Heung-min did not play due to a red card. The defeat put Stielike under intense pressure, and the trip to Shenzhen was meant to avenge the ‘Changsha Disaster’.
There is another reason why the players of the national soccer team have a heavy heart. One of their teammates at the World Cup in Qatar, Son Jun-ho, has been detained in China for six months.
He was detained at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport in May while trying to return home with his family. He was investigated by the Chaoyang Public Security Bureau in Liaoning Province on suspicion of soliciting non-state agents. On June 18, his criminal detention (temporary restraint) expired and he was converted to a custodial investigation. A detention investigation can last up to seven months. Son has already spent more than six months in detention.
On May 16, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said he was being investigated for “soliciting non-state actors. The crime of bribery of non-state actors applies to cases where a person who works for an enterprise or other unit that is not a government organization illegally accepts property from another person for the benefit of his or her job.
Even the Korean Football Association and Foreign Minister Park Jin-chol have come out in favor of Son’s release, but it’s a frustrating situation with no resolution. The Chinese have not provided any information. We don’t even know when Son will be tried. If he is found guilty, it’s hard to know what his sentence will be.
In September, Park said, “It has been more than three months since (Son’s detention). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is making efforts to protect overseas Koreans so that the matter can be resolved quickly. We have arranged for consular assistance and an interview with a defense lawyer.” However, two more months have passed with no apparent progress.
The national team has a ’92 line’ that is the same age as Son Jun-ho. Son Heung-min, Kim Jin-soo, Lee Jae-sung, and Hwang Eui-jo were all born in 1992. They have been a solid centerpiece of the national team. But right now, Son is in detention and we can’t contact him, so it’s very frustrating. The senior players are also worried. We’re playing against the Chinese national team in China, so we’re thinking about him even more.