South Korean Footballer Transfers to Amateur League Amid Uncertainty Over Return to Professional Football

Courtesy of Son Jun-ho's instagram

Son Jun-ho, a former midfielder for Shandong Taishan who was detained in China for 319 days before being released last month, has joined K5 team Kunyoong FC, according to a club official as reported by the Korea JoongAng Daily on Monday.

This move to the amateur club was not previously reported. The K5 league operates below the semi-professional K4 league, allowing Son to join even after the closure of the K League transfer window last month, as it falls outside the jurisdiction of professional K League regulations.

Reportedly, Son's transfer to the amateur league is aimed at providing him with time to readjust before potentially returning to professional football. However, a Kunyoong FC official stated uncertainty regarding Son's eventual return to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, his last team in the K League 1.
 

▲ Courtesy of Son Jun-ho's instagramSon, aged 31, was detained on May 12 last year at a Shanghai airport as part of what Chinese authorities termed a bribery investigation. He was formally arrested in June, 37 days after his initial detention, in accordance with Chinese law allowing police to detain suspects for up to 37 days before a prosecutor's approval of an arrest.

While his arrest coincided with a crackdown on match-fixing in Chinese football, it was perceived by some as potentially politically motivated to exert pressure on the South Korean government. The specifics of Son's arrest and trial, including the timing and location of the trial, have not been publicly disclosed.

Son returned to South Korea on March 25 after his 319-day detention in China. Multiple Korean media outlets reported that he was cleared of bribery charges following a 10-day closed-door trial.

Son began his professional career with K League 1 team Pohang Steelers in 2014 before transferring to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in 2018 and subsequently joining Shandong Taishan in 2021. He experienced significant success during his tenure at Jeonbuk, winning the league title in 2018, 2019, and 2020, along with the Korean FA Cup in 2020.

With 20 caps to his name, Son made his international debut in 2018 and participated in the 2022 World Cup, with his last appearance for the national team in a friendly against Uruguay in March last year.

Sayart 

Blue YIM, yimyoungseo1010@naver.com