As the Hong Myung-bo-led national team faces uncertainty regarding its advancement to the Round of 32 following a 1-0 loss to South Africa in the third match of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup group stage at Monterrey Stadium in Mexico, rumors and controversies surrounding the team's performance and atmosphere have been mounting.

In particular, the substitution of key defender Kim Min-jae midway through the second half of the match against South Africa has sparked ongoing debate.

Kim’s gesture of raising both arms with a look of frustration as he was being substituted led to speculation that he was dissatisfied with the decision.

After the match, head coach Hong Myung-bo stated in a broadcast interview that Kim had been dealing with a calf injury. However, the controversy intensified when Kim later told reporters in the mixed zone that his calf was "fine," which, when combined with his earlier gesture, led some to interpret that he had been substituted despite having no physical issues.

Kim subsequently reached out through the Korea Football Association to clarify that there had been a misunderstanding.

In a written statement, Kim explained, "I felt discomfort in my right calf and requested a substitution from the coaching staff because I felt that if I continued to play, it would be difficult to participate in the next match."

He clarified that his comment about being "fine" meant that "it could be okay for the next match once I recover."

Regarding the gesture he made while leaving the pitch, he said, "It was not an expression of dissatisfaction with being substituted; rather, I was frustrated because our defensive gaps kept widening. The game wasn't going well, so I was agitated and acted with emotion."

He added, "I reflected on the fact that I may have disrupted the atmosphere on the bench during a difficult situation, and I apologized to the head coach and the coaching staff. I don't know if I will have the opportunity to play in the next match, but if I do, I will try to make up for the disappointment with a better performance."

When asked about the issue after returning to the team's base camp at the Chivas Verde Valle training ground in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, head coach Hong Myung-bo replied, "If the player himself says it's a misunderstanding, then it's a misunderstanding."

Hong also stated, "The coaching staff told me that Kim Min-jae's calf was hurting, and after communicating with him, we decided to substitute him because it was difficult for him to continue playing. I didn't see exactly what happened on the sidelines after that," adding, "It was definitely not dissatisfaction with the substitution. He wanted to be substituted, and that is why we made the change."

Regarding the defensive gaps that Kim expressed frustration over, Hong said, "The process of losing the ball to the opponent was not good. In the first and second matches, we were able to move compactly and press immediately to regain possession even after losing the ball, but it seems that didn't happen this time due to physical fatigue. If players cannot run, the gaps are bound to widen."

(Photo: Yonhap News)