SON Academy Parents "No Corporal Punishment" vs Civic Group "Secondary Harm"

Parents Appeal for Leniency for Director Son Woongjeong Accused of Child Abuse
Civic Group Criticizes as "Most Painful Statement from Victim's Perspective"

Regarding the child abuse allegations at SON Soccer Academy, operated by coach Son Woong-jung, father of Son Heung-min, parents have requested leniency, stating that "there has been no corporal punishment until now," while civic groups have criticized this as "secondary victimization."

Coach Son Woong-jung, father of national soccer team player Son Heung-min. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Parents of SON Soccer Academy Students: "A Turning Point Was Needed During the Training Camp... The Children Are Happy, So Who Is This Investigation For?"

On the 4th, parents who send their children to SON Soccer Academy stated, "Some parents who accompanied the training camp in Okinawa, Japan, as well as the children, collectively said that 'a turning point to change the atmosphere was needed' regarding the mood on the day corporal punishment allegedly occurred," adding, "No one felt that the incident was unusual or special, and even the children are puzzled about what exactly happened." They released a statement saying, "We are not supporting Coach Son or justifying corporal punishment," and appealed, "Those directly involved have moved on without issue, but outsiders are imposing their own standards, turning the academy members into victims as if a major crime occurred, and are instead harassing us."

Additionally, the parents opposed the joint statement released on the 1st by four civic groups?Cultural Solidarity, the Korean Sports & Olympic Committee, the Lawyers for a Democratic Society (Minbyun) Cultural Arts and Sports Committee, the Sports Human Rights Research Institute, and the Sports Citizens’ Solidarity?which criticized Coach Son and the coaches for "a severe lack of human rights sensitivity" and demanded a strict investigation. The parents said, "People from civic groups who have never even visited the sports field and have never met the coach are criticizing him as violent, and the Sports Ethics Center, which never paid attention before, is now threatening to disrupt the academy," questioning, "The children here are happy, so whose human rights and whose investigation is this really for?" They then requested leniency for the accused from investigative and judicial authorities.

"All Perpetrators Met During the Investigation Were Good People... From the Victims’ Perspective, the Parents’ Statement Is a Harmful Act and Painful"

In relation to this, Yonhap News reported that right after the parents’ statement was released, civic groups expressed concern at a scheduled forum that such collective actions by the parents could constitute 'secondary victimization' of the victims. Kim Hyun-soo, Executive Director of the Sports Citizens’ Solidarity and former head of the National Human Rights Commission’s Special Sports Human Rights Investigation Team, said, "I also think Coach Son is a good person," adding, "From what I saw on TV, he seems straightforward and sincere, a person worth knowing, but even the perpetrators I met during the investigation were all good people." He emphasized, "There were definitely some acts committed, and parents’ actions defending the perpetrators to maintain the team can lead to secondary victimization. From the victims’ perspective, such statements are the most painful."

Ham Eun-joo, Secretary General of the Sports Human Rights Research Institute, also criticized, "From the parents’ perspective, they want their children to continue playing soccer, but their daily lives are being disrupted, and they think they cannot continue training here, so they act this way, but this is a form of harmful behavior," adding, "It is also the academy’s responsibility to manage, guide, and maintain daily life to prevent such incidents."

Coach Son, Accused of Child Abuse, Says "Reflecting on Failure to Keep Up with Changing Times"... Settlement Money Allegations Remain

Bruise on Mr. A's body photographed on March 12, three days after the incident occurred on March 9.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, Coach Son, Head Coach Son Heung-yoon (Son Heung-min’s older brother), and Coach B were sued in March by a boy identified as A, who was learning soccer at the academy. A’s side claimed that during the training camp in Okinawa, Japan, in the same month, he was beaten by coaches in a prone position after losing a match, resulting in swelling and bruises. They also alleged that Coach Son frequently used harsh language, grabbed his neck, and pushed him. However, Coach Son’s side explained that he never verbally abused any specific player, corporal punishment did occur but was done in front of parents. Later, Coach Son’s side stated, "We reflect on not keeping up with the changing times and legal standards and having coached the children in our own way. We will find other methods to help the children focus fully and immerse themselves in training on the field." On the 2nd, Chuncheon District Prosecutors’ Office summoned Coach Son, Head Coach Son, and Coach B for investigation on suspicion of child abuse under the Child Welfare Act. This was the first summons after the police handed over the case.

Also, on the 28th of last month, a recording of a phone call between Coach Son’s legal representative, lawyer Kim Hyung-woo of Myungryun Law Firm, and A was released. In the call, A demanded 500 million won as settlement money and proposed a kickback, saying to lawyer Kim, "If you accept 500 million won, I will secretly give you 100 million won." Coach Son refused to accept a settlement exceeding 30 million won, stating, "If what we did was wrong, we will accept punishment," and the final agreement fell through. Afterwards, A’s side leaked photos of bruises allegedly caused by a coach to the media.