On December 28, 2022, the South Korean team announced the 26-man squad for the Asian Cup, including Son Heung-min, Lee Gang-in, Kim Min-jae and other players who played in Europe. It is worth mentioning that there are also some potential newcomers in the Korean team, such as 17-year-old Lee Jae-min, 18-year-old Jung Youying, 19-year-old Lee Kang-in, etc. However, coach Klinsmann expressed his views on the fact that Hwang Eui-suke and Son Joon-ho were not selected and are still under investigation because of the video incident.
According to South Korean media Xsports, at the first press conference held by the new head coach of the South Korean men's national football team, Klinsmann, he talked about the selection of players for the new national team, especially Hwang Yizhu and Son Joon-ho. He said it was heart-wrenching not to be able to call up these great players, not only because of their excellent performances at the club, but also because they were an important supporter for the future development of the national team. In particular, Huang Yizhu, despite the fact that he is currently playing for Premier League side Norwich, still has a visa problem, which undoubtedly brings a lot of trouble to the national team, and an appropriate solution needs to be found as soon as possible.
Klinsmann said in an interview: "Son's problem is not recent, it has been there for a long time. As a coach, I can only regret this situation. Despite the difficulties, we, as a team participating in the Asian Cup, have to face this problem. In the process, I had to make a decision and do my best to make sure the whole team was able to perform at their best in the Asian Cup. ”
South Korean men's soccer player Son Joon-ho was detained by Chinese police in May, and the South Korean embassy in China responded to the incident. The South Korean Embassy in Beijing said it was aware that the Chinese police in Liaoning Province were investigating Mr. Sun and had provided consular assistance to consulates in their jurisdictions, such as applying for consular visits. They will communicate and consult with the Chinese government and relevant agencies to ensure that Son can be released as soon as possible and can return to South Korea safely.
According to Chinese media reports, in addition to Sun Zhunhao, several athletes of the Shandong team may be under investigation for alleged misconduct, but Sun Zhunhao's issue is mainly about accepting bribes, not manipulating the game. Subsequently, in a phone call with Xsports News, Son Joon-ho's agent revealed that he was charged with taking bribes, and coach Hao Wei was also arrested on the same charge and is investigating whether he was involved in the case. After Son Joon-ho was arrested on suspicion of taking bribes, Klinsmann was still included in the list during the national team's warm-up match in June. "I'm very worried," he said. I am trying my best to fight for Son Joon-ho at the level of the Football Association, and I will always support him and try my best to help him. I don't know what Son Joon-ho's current state of mind and body is. Since then, little information has been disclosed about Mr. Sun.
In response to questions from reporters at a press conference after the friendly match between Germany and Tunisia on October 13, German coach Jurgen Klinsmann made it clear that he wants to be able to elevate his existing defensive midfielders Park Yong-woo and Lee Joon-ho to a higher level. Klinsmann said defensive midfielders play a vital role in implementing attacking strategies, and Son Joon-ho happens to be the perfect person for that position. However, Son Joon-ho's absence had a big impact on the strength of the German team. Despite this, Klinsmann still says he remains confident about the future and hopes to see positive signs in the upcoming games.
After the World Cup qualifiers match between South Korea and China on November 21, Klinsmann mentioned the matter for the third time and hoped that Son Joon-ho would make an early comeback: "I expect this to be a big surprise for Christmas, for me, for South Korean football and for Son Joon-ho's family." I hope that Son Joon-ho can reunite with his family as soon as possible to spend Christmas together. However, Klinsmann's expectations do not seem to have come true, and until the Christmas season has passed, Son Joon-ho's situation has not changed. In this context, Klinsmann once again mentioned Son Joon-ho when announcing the squad for the Asian Cup.