Latest news with #Son
The Star
2 hours ago
- Sport
- The Star
Soccer-South Korea coach says Son won't be pushed too hard in 2026 qualifiers
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - World Cup - AFC Qualifiers - Third Round - Group B - South Korea v Jordan - Suwon World Cup Stadium, Suwon, South Korea - March 25, 2025 South Korea's Heung-Min Son. REUTERS/Kim Soo-Hyeon/File Photo (Reuters) -South Korea captain Son Heung-min will be used sparingly in their World Cup qualifiers against Iraq and Kuwait as he builds up his match fitness following his return from a foot injury, coach Hong Myung-bo said on Monday. South Korea, who lead Group B by three points, face Iraq in Basra on June 5 before returning home for their final qualifier of the third round against Kuwait five days later. The Koreans will qualify for their 11th successive World Cup if they avoid defeat by Iraq, who last month appointed former Australia boss Graham Arnold as their head coach. Son has been dealing with the injury for the past two months and was restricted to a substitute's appearance in Tottenham Hotspur's 1-0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League final. "He and I have not yet discussed exactly how much he will play. But my staff and I already know all about his drive and his desire to play," Hong told reporters. "Since we have two matches coming up (to try to qualify for the World Cup), I will not push him too hard. Once we get to Iraq, we will decide which of the two matches we will focus on." The 56-year-old said Son's experience would be invaluable in Iraq even if he does not play. "We will probably play in a hostile environment in front of partisan fans," he added. "We have some players who have had experience playing in these situations. It's something we should keep in mind going into the stadium for this match." (Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
South Korea coach says Son won't be pushed too hard in 2026 qualifiers
South Korea captain Son Heung-min will be used sparingly in their World Cup qualifiers against Iraq and Kuwait as he builds up his match fitness following his return from a foot injury, coach Hong Myung-bo said on Monday. South Korea, who lead Group B by three points, face Iraq in Basra on June 5 before returning home for their final qualifier of the third round against Kuwait five days later. The Koreans will qualify for their 11th successive World Cup if they avoid defeat by Iraq, who last month appointed former Australia boss Graham Arnold as their head coach. Son has been dealing with the injury for the past two months and was restricted to a substitute's appearance in Tottenham Hotspur's 1-0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League final. "He and I have not yet discussed exactly how much he will play. But my staff and I already know all about his drive and his desire to play," Hong told reporters. "Since we have two matches coming up (to try to qualify for the World Cup), I will not push him too hard. Once we get to Iraq, we will decide which of the two matches we will focus on." The 56-year-old said Son's experience would be invaluable in Iraq even if he does not play. "We will probably play in a hostile environment in front of partisan fans," he added. "We have some players who have had experience playing in these situations. It's something we should keep in mind going into the stadium for this match." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Korea Herald
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Far-right group's ties to South Korea's after-school program sparks outrage
Instructors allegedly rewarded for online attacks on liberals, praise for conservatives A far-right educational group's involvement in South Korea's government-led after-school program for elementary students has triggered controversy, with parents voicing alarm over the infiltration of ideological bias into classrooms. The controversy started with a local investigative news outlet reporting that a far-right organization called Rhee Park School — known for glorifying former authoritarian presidents Syngman Rhee and Park Chung-hee — has not only conducted online manipulation campaigns under a team named "Jasongun" but also dispatched instructors to Neulbom schools, a state-run extended-day elementary education program. Jasongun is the abbreviation of a Korean phrase meaning "freedom finger army to save the nation' (direct translation). The report alleged that Rhee Park School trained and dispatched instructors to Neulbom schools in Seoul using an internally issued instructor certificate. These instructors were said to be selected in return for participating in online smear campaigns targeting liberal politicians, including presidential candidates Lee Jae-myung and Lee Jun-seok, while promoting right-wing figures such as Kim Moon-soo of the ruling People Power Party. Outrage has mounted among parents, especially after it was revealed that the institution had secured a partnership with the Korea Association for Neulbom Education and Seoul National University of Education. According to the Education Ministry, the agreement allowed the group to supply instructors for science and art-based Neulbom programs at 10 elementary schools in the capital. The Education Ministry announced a full investigation into any links between the far-right institution and the national Neulbom system. 'Given the public reaction and severity of the issue, we have instructed the immediate suspension of related programs and the cancellation of the agreement with the organization,' said the SNUE Neulbom Education Support Center. Rhee Park School was founded in 2017 by Son Hyo-sook, a retired civil servant with no prior educational credentials. Son's recent appointment as an education policy adviser to the Education Minister has drawn further scrutiny, with critics questioning how she gained a high-level policy advisory role without a professional background in education. The controversy has renewed criticism of the Neulbom system, a key education policy initiative of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. Initially branded as an 'all-day elementary school,' the program aims to merge after-school classes and care services under state responsibility. The Education Ministry said Monday it has launched a full-scale investigation into the matter and dismissed the head of the far-right group from her role as a policy adviser the day prior. 'Given the sensitivity of the allegations, she was dismissed immediately,' ministry spokesperson Koo Yeon-hee stated during a press briefing. 'Son did not play a prominent role on the committee and only attended a recent workshop.' Koo explained that the committee consists of 124 advisers from various ideological backgrounds and functions in a consultative capacity. 'Since it is a purely advisory body, we did not screen appointees for political neutrality at the time of selection,' she said. Although Son's term was originally set to end on June 12, Koo added that the ministry would consider reviewing the status of other advisers. 'We will ask the relevant departments to look into whether there are any issues with other committee members and whether further investigation is possible,' she said. While the Education Ministry stated that private certifications like the one issued by Rhee Park School do not guarantee employment in schools, and that hiring decisions are made independently by each institution, it acknowledged the need for a system-wide review. The ministry pledged to audit all currently operating Neulbom programs to assess any connection to the institution.
The Sun
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
TV graphics put fun into South Korean election count
SEOUL: Two candidates vying to be president vigorously plunge a toilet, kick a football, then pop open a soda -- it can only be South Korean election night, where whacky graphics strive to make vote-counting fun. 'Harry Potter', 'Squid Game', a rigorous spinning class... no reference is too small or too bizarre to be mined by broadcaster SBS for outlandish CGI-animated graphics to attract viewers -- and, the journalists behind it say, make politics more accessible and engaging. Thanks to a dozens-strong specialist team at SBS, the dry work of tallying millions of ballots on the evening of June 3, after South Koreans vote for their next leader, will be transformed into an Olympic-level spectacle. 'The pressure is on,' SBS broadcast journalist Son Hyoung-an, who has been working on the election graphics team since before the poll was announced, told AFP. 'Everyone is asking us what we will do next, and they are excited to see what we'll bring to the table,' said Son. The tradition began around a decade ago, when South Korean networks noticed they could get more eyeballs on election night by leaning into the country's strong K-pop and K-drama tradition, and by trying to make politics fun and entertaining. It started with simple 2D visuals -- the most striking of which showed candidates walking up a building horizontally -- but, with an enthusiastic response, it has grown in scale and scope. Now, most Korean networks run sophisticated animated sequences that show the candidates' faces and body movements -- with their permission -- using actors to create the movements, then splicing the real faces on top. - Snap election - This year's poll posed a particular challenge, as it is a snap election after ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached and stripped of office over his abortive martial law declaration, meaning that SBS's election team had hardly any time to prepare. 'We need to do five months worth of work in a matter of weeks,' Son told AFP, adding that convincing the super-busy candidates to spare them a few minutes to film their faces for the graphics was tough. The front-runner, liberal Lee Jae-myung, ran in 2022 and lost to Yoon by the narrowest margin in the country's history -- meaning SBS already had footage of him from their previous coverage. The challenge was with Kim Moon-soo, the conservative former labour minister and ruling People Power Party nominee -- but his team said he was too busy and kept rejecting the election graphics team requests. Eventually, they secured three minutes with him in front of a green screen. Then they just had to come up with the graphics. One of this year's themes is 'Squid Game', with the animations showing Lee and Kim competing in classic childhood games from the hit Netflix series, from 'red light, green light' to 'ddakji'. 'Even the smallest ideas are welcome,' SBS journalist Kim Deok-hyun, told AFP. 'We gather personal memories, joyful moments - anything the team finds entertaining -- without filtering or holding back.' One team member had a particularly good spinning class and suggested it could work for election night. In the graphic, both candidates' heads bob furiously as they ride indoor bicycles, their vote share rising with each pedal stroke. For voters frustrated by the country's political turmoil, another sequence features a sound effect known in Korean as 'bbeong' -- the noise a fizzy drink makes when opened, or the thwack of a football, or the gurgle when a toilet is unclogged. - Rap battle - SBS is particularly well-known for its election graphics, but all South Korean networks do it -- with one rival channel going viral last year for a rap battle between candidates. 'It does make you wonder, can we go this far with people who might become the president?' said Kim. But the journalists behind SBS's offerings say that the purpose of the graphics is to create a 'flow' to engage viewers and keep them hooked on the democratic process. Early in the day while voting is underway, coverage is more restrained, but once exit polls are out 'we'll roll out fast-paced, high-energy items, with rapid-fire summaries to help viewers follow the evolving picture', said Kim. 'We want people to look forward to our election night coverage, the way they anticipate a new film, thinking, 'I can't wait to see what they do this time'.' Experts agree that graphics can help keep viewers -- and voters -- engaged. 'Eye-catching graphics could be valuable, if they serve to draw attention not just to visuals but to substantive content that helps elevate the political discourse in our country,' Kim Seo-joong, a professor at Sungkonghoe University told AFP.
France 24
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- France 24
TV graphics put fun into South Korean election count
"Harry Potter", "Squid Game", a rigorous spinning class... no reference is too small or too bizarre to be mined by broadcaster SBS for outlandish CGI-animated graphics to attract viewers -- and, the journalists behind it say, make politics more accessible and engaging. Thanks to a dozens-strong specialist team at SBS, the dry work of tallying millions of ballots on the evening of June 3, after South Koreans vote for their next leader, will be transformed into an Olympic-level spectacle. "The pressure is on," SBS broadcast journalist Son Hyoung-an, who has been working on the election graphics team since before the poll was announced, told AFP. "Everyone is asking us what we will do next, and they are excited to see what we'll bring to the table," said Son. The tradition began around a decade ago, when South Korean networks noticed they could get more eyeballs on election night by leaning into the country's strong K-pop and K-drama tradition, and by trying to make politics fun and entertaining. It started with simple 2D visuals -- the most striking of which showed candidates walking up a building horizontally -- but, with an enthusiastic response, it has grown in scale and scope. Now, most Korean networks run sophisticated animated sequences that show the candidates' faces and body movements -- with their permission -- using actors to create the movements, then splicing the real faces on top. Snap election This year's poll posed a particular challenge, as it is a snap election after ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached and stripped of office over his abortive martial law declaration, meaning that SBS's election team had hardly any time to prepare. "We need to do five months worth of work in a matter of weeks," Son told AFP, adding that convincing the super-busy candidates to spare them a few minutes to film their faces for the graphics was tough. The front-runner, liberal Lee Jae-myung, ran in 2022 and lost to Yoon by the narrowest margin in the country's history -- meaning SBS already had footage of him from their previous coverage. The challenge was with Kim Moon-soo, the conservative former labour minister and ruling People Power Party nominee -- but his team said he was too busy and kept rejecting the election graphics team requests. Eventually, they secured three minutes with him in front of a green screen. Then they just had to come up with the graphics. One of this year's themes is "Squid Game", with the animations showing Lee and Kim competing in classic childhood games from the hit Netflix series, from "red light, green light" to "ddakji". "Even the smallest ideas are welcome," SBS journalist Kim Deok-hyun, told AFP. "We gather personal memories, joyful moments – anything the team finds entertaining –- without filtering or holding back." One team member had a particularly good spinning class and suggested it could work for election night. In the graphic, both candidates' heads bob furiously as they ride indoor bicycles, their vote share rising with each pedal stroke. For voters frustrated by the country's political turmoil, another sequence features a sound effect known in Korean as 'bbeong' -- the noise a fizzy drink makes when opened, or the thwack of a football, or the gurgle when a toilet is unclogged. Rap battle SBS is particularly well-known for its election graphics, but all South Korean networks do it -- with one rival channel going viral last year for a rap battle between candidates. "It does make you wonder, can we go this far with people who might become the president?" said Kim. But the journalists behind SBS's offerings say that the purpose of the graphics is to create a "flow" to engage viewers and keep them hooked on the democratic process. Early in the day while voting is underway, coverage is more restrained, but once exit polls are out "we'll roll out fast-paced, high-energy items, with rapid-fire summaries to help viewers follow the evolving picture", said Kim. "We want people to look forward to our election night coverage, the way they anticipate a new film, thinking, 'I can't wait to see what they do this time'." Experts agree that graphics can help keep viewers -- and voters -- engaged. "Eye-catching graphics could be valuable, if they serve to draw attention not just to visuals but to substantive content that helps elevate the political discourse in our country," Kim Seo-joong, a professor at Sungkonghoe University told AFP.
