The rest of Son Jun-ho’s soccer career is in doubt.
The South Korean international midfielder was detained by Chinese police on May 12 at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport while trying to return to South Korea. He is suspected of bribery. The police investigated him in custody, but on May 18, after the maximum 37-day period of criminal detention expired, they switched to a custodial investigation.
According to local Chinese media, Son is believed to be involved in match-fixing and bribery. This is because Son’s club, Shandong Taishan, is being investigated for match-fixing and illegal gambling. Shandong’s ethnic Korean midfielder Jin Jingdao was arrested on suspicion of match-fixing and illegal gambling, while former coach Hao Wei was also investigated for match-fixing. Son Jungho has been placed under arrest, but details on the specifics and progress of his case are unavailable. In China, it is illegal to inform third parties about investigations except for the parties and their lawyers.
Despite being unable to reach Son last month, South Korean national soccer team coach Jürgen Klinsmann included him in his call-up list.
In a press conference at the time, Klinsmann admitted that he was “quite heartbroken” and added, “As you said, we are doing our best as a federation. We are constantly cheering and supporting him. We don’t know what his situation is mentally and physically.”
“But the performances he showed against Colombia and Uruguay in March were great. Our role is to pray for him and hope for the best. I don’t know if he knows it, but we’re constantly helping him behind the scenes. I hope he knows that. We want to let him know that we are supporting him in this difficult time.”
Since then, nothing has happened. The official website of Son’s club, Shandong Taishan, even took down his profile picture.
In May, the Korean Football Association (KFA) announced that it would be sending “high-level experts. We expect close cooperation with diplomatic authorities, Korean embassies, and local authorities,” and that “we are trying to contact the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Korean and Chinese embassies, aided by the fact that Kim Jung-bae is currently the vice chairman of the KFA,” but we were unable to reach Son Jun-ho or his lawyer.
A KFA official who spoke to OSEN by phone on April 24 expressed frustration. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is trying to get in touch with Son Jun-ho,” the KFA official said, but “even if the government makes a move, there is no result.” 먹튀검증
“The government, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is making moves, but there’s nothing else we can do,” the official added.
Son was a member of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games gold medal-winning team and played for Jeonbuk Hyundai from 2018 to 2020, leading the team to the K League 1 title. In the 2020 season, he was named the K League 1 MVP and recognized as one of the league’s best midfielders.
As a result of his performances, he has made 20 appearances in the A-match, including the first match against Uruguay and the third match against Portugal in the group stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar.