'Raised arms were frustration at defensive gaps, not protest over substitution'

'Sorry to manager, coaches for dampening mood on bench'

Kim Min-jae dribbles during South Korea's Group A match against South Africa at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Mexico, on Thursday, in the 2026 World Cup. South Korea lost 1-0, leaving its round-of-32 prospects uncertain. [Yonhap]
Kim Min-jae dribbles during South Korea's Group A match against South Africa at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Mexico, on Thursday, in the 2026 World Cup. South Korea lost 1-0, leaving its round-of-32 prospects uncertain. [Yonhap]

Tension is surfacing within South Korea's World Cup squad after the team slipped to third place in Group A, casting doubt on its chances of advancing to the knockout stage. Particularly in focus is the second-half substitution of defensive anchor Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich in Thursday's group-stage match against South Africa, which has stirred controversy given the circumstances surrounding it.

In the Group A match held Thursday at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Mexico, South Korea conceded the only goal of the game in the 63rd minute. Two minutes later, the coaching staff pulled Kim off, sending on Park Jin-seop in his place. As Kim walked off the pitch, he raised both arms with a visible look of frustration.

Manager Hong Myung-bo said in a post-match broadcast interview that a calf injury was the reason for the substitution. The controversy deepened when Kim was quoted in the mixed zone as saying his calf was "fine" — a remark that, combined with the gesture, fueled speculation that he was unhappy about being taken off.

Kim moved to address the misunderstanding Friday through a statement released by the Korea Football Association. In a letter-style message, he explained that he had felt something wrong with his right calf and asked the coaching staff to substitute him, fearing that continuing to play would jeopardize his availability for the next match. He also clarified that when he said he was "fine," he meant "that it could be fine for the next game if I recover."

On the gesture itself, Kim said, "It was not an expression of dissatisfaction at being substituted. I was frustrated that the defensive gaps kept widening. The game wasn't going well, and I was worked up — it was an emotional reaction."

"I reflected on the fact that I seemed to dampen the mood on the bench at a difficult time, and I told the manager and coaches I was sorry," he added. "I don't know whether I'll get the chance to play in the next match, but if I do, I will make up for the disappointment with a strong performance."

Hong also addressed the matter Friday, saying the coaching staff had been informed of Kim's calf pain and that the decision to substitute him was made after communicating with the player directly. "We made the change because he wanted to come off," Hong said.


yjc@heraldcorp.com