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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Tottenham star Son Heung-min's father fined for violating child welfare law at South Korea football academy

A court in South Korea has fined Son Woong-jung, the father of Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min, three million won (£1,700) for violating child welfare law at his football academy.

The Chuncheon district court notified prosecutors on Friday that it issued such a ruling on Son Woong-jung, director of the Son Football Academy in Chuncheon city, according to a local prosecutors' office.

The charge relates to verbal and physical abuse of young players at the academy, based in Chuncheon, around 45 miles (75km) east of Seoul.

The academy opened in 2021, with much of the estimated cost of £11.5 million funded by his son, the Tottenham and South Korea star who captains both the Premier League side and his national team.

Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min (Getty Images)

Two coaches at the academy also each received fines for the same violation, the prosecutors' office said.

The parents of a young player have said their son was hit by one of the two coaches with a corner flag and also subjected to verbal abuse.

Son Woong-jung denied wrongdoing but offered an apology and promised to evaluate his coaching methods.

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