Father of Tottenham star Son Heung-min ordered to pay fine over football school abuse

SEOUL – The father of Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min has been ordered by a South Korean court to pay a fine of three million won (S$2,900) for violating child welfare law at his football school, reports said.

Son Woong-jung, 62, is a former footballer who wrote a best-selling memoir detailing how he helped his younger son become one of the best strikers in the English Premier League.

Son, 32, is now the captain of both Spurs and the South Korean national side and always plays a crucial and influential role in leading his teams.

Earlier in 2024, the parents of a young player at Son Woong-jung’s football academy said their son was hit by coach Son Heung-yun, the older brother of the Spurs player, leaving a large bruise on his left thigh.

The student and his teammates were also subjected to verbal abuse by Son senior, according to his family. The Korea Times similarly also reported that the parents accused Son Woong-jung of hurling profanities at players for making mistakes during training sessions.

Son Woong-jung, Son Heung-yun and another individual were each ordered to pay three million won for violating child welfare law, Yonhap news agency and other South Korean media reported.

The three, who can appeal against the decision, have also been required to complete 40 hours of educational sessions on child abuse.

The Chuncheon District Court’s decision on Oct 11 followed the indictment of the three on Aug 30 by prosecutors, who requested that the court impose fines.

AFP reached out to the court and the lawyers representing both sides, but did not receive a reply.

Son Woong-jung has apologised but said the coaching staff at his academy “never spoke or acted in a way that wasn’t rooted in love for the children”.

His school was opened in 2021, with much of the estimated cost of US$15 million (S$19.6 million) funded by Son Heung-min, who reportedly earns close to £200,000 (S$340,000) a week at Tottenham. AFP