National football federation urges halt to personal attacks on players

The national football federation on Tuesday called on people to refrain from hurling insults and personal attacks on players, saying such behavior does not help the sport. In a statement, the Korea Football Association (KFA) noted the recent spread of "unverified information and speculative assertions" on social media and online communities regarding members of the men's national team. The Taegeuk Warriors have come under siege in recent days over rumors of in-house feuding. Following a friendly match against Uzbekistan last Tuesday, three players born in 1996, Hwang Hee-chan, Hwang In-beom and Kim Min-jae, reportedly told their teammates that they would retire from international play, citing their frustration with the leadership group that includes longtime captain Son Heung-min and his fellow 34-year-old Lee Jae-sung. Online football fan sites and YouTube channels have been rampant with rumors on who started what within the national team — some backing Son as captain, and others calling for him to step aside and cede captaincy to a younger player. The KFA said while it respects diffe