The Korea Football Association formally called on fans to refrain from spreading unverified claims and personal attacks targeting members of the national soccer team, following a surge of such posts online.
In a statement released on the 13th, the association said speculative claims that have not been fact-checked are spreading quickly on social media and online communities, and that criticism aimed at specific players has gone beyond the bounds of fair comment. "We earnestly ask fans to exercise careful judgment in order to protect the players," it said.
The association singled out three types of content: posts that edit or interpret isolated moments from training sessions or everyday scenes to assert that the squad is divided; false claims of unknown origin circulated in the form of so-called stock market tip sheets; and ridicule and defamation using deepfake videos generated by artificial intelligence.
The association said it had also seen organized campaigns in which users visited not only players' personal accounts but also the official accounts of their clubs to demand that the players be dropped.
The association stressed that such behavior translates directly into psychological strain on individual players. "Criticism of performance and attacks on individuals must be distinguished," it said, adding that excessive abuse ultimately undermines the competitiveness of Korean soccer as a whole.
The statement also addressed the mood within the squad. "Players may think differently, and the process of exchanging views and finding the team's direction exists in any organization," the association said. "Judging what is happening inside the team based on a few scenes only makes conflict appear larger than it is."
The association closed by saying it takes seriously the concern it has caused fans, and added that it would strengthen channels of communication with the squad and review support systems including psychological care.