Former South Korean national team midfielder Son Jun-ho, who was a key player in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, now stands at a pivotal moment in his life. Having devoted most of his life to football, Son is facing the heartbreaking possibility of having to end his career. Son terminated his contract with K League 1 club Suwon FC on Sept. 13 and is now no longer a professional football player. How did one of South Korea’s football stars end up in such a dire situation? To understand, we need to look back to March 25, the day Son finally returned to South Korea after a lengthy ordeal.
For about 10 months, Son was detained and investigated by Chinese authorities. Since 2021, he had been playing for Shandong Taishan in the Chinese Super League. However, on May 12 of last year, Son was arrested by Chinese public security officials while preparing to return to South Korea via Shanghai Hongqiao Airport. He was then criminally detained and investigated by the Chaoyang Public Security Bureau in Liaoning Province. At that time, China was aggressively cracking down on corruption and misconduct within its football community. Son’s teammate, Jin Jingdao, a Chinese-Korean player, was also arrested on charges of match-fixing and bribery. Son was the first foreign player to be arrested under these suspicions.
A month after his detention, Chinese authorities officially announced that Son was being investigated for “non-state functionary bribery,” a charge that refers to instances where individuals or entities involved in private sectors, but performing quasi-official functions or engaging with government officials, are accused of bribery. Son consistently denied the allegations of match-fixing and bribery during the investigation. However, conflicting reports surfaced, including one from a sports media outlet claiming that Son had been cleared of all charges and released.
Park Dae-yeon, CEO of Son’s agency, NEST, said, “Despite his imprisonment, Son remains mentally stable and is grateful for the support from the South Korean public and the consideration shown by Chinese authorities.” Both football fans and the general 추천 public were left in the dark about Son’s situation, fueling frustration. Upon his release and return to South Korea, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it had cooperated closely with Chinese authorities to ensure a swift and fair process.
The ministry also confirmed that it had conducted over 20 consular interviews with Son’s family and provided legal support .However, Chinese authorities did not disclose specific details about the charges against Son or the reasons for his release. With his release, it seemed that everything was resolved. Son’s close friends and fellow national team players, Son Heung-min (Tottenham) and Lee Jae-sung (Mainz), welcomed him back with open arms. Son’s return coincided with the national team’s preparation for the 2026 North American World Cup Asian qualifiers.
A day after Son’s return, Lee Jae-sung expressed his joy during a press conference before the match against Thailand, saying, “As a friend who has played football with him since childhood, hearing that he was detained in China a year ago broke my heart, but now I’m grateful for the good news before the match.” Son Heung-min also celebrated Son’s return during the match against Thailand on March 27 by scoring a goal and running to the camera, shouting, “Welcome back, Jun-ho!” This was not only a greeting but also a heartfelt message of support for his friend who had returned after a harrowing 10-month ordeal.
Son Jun-ho also took to social media to express his gratitude, saying, “My greeting is very late. I am grateful to be back home safely, spending quality time with my family and enjoying a normal life. I sincerely thank the people of (South Korea) who didn’t forget about me and waited and worried for so long.”