South Korean striker Hwang Ui-jo’s hopes of representing the Taeguk Warriors at the 2026 FIFA World Cup have come to an abrupt end after the Korea Football Association (KFA) imposed a 20-year suspension on the 33-year-old forward.
According to MK Sports, the punishment follows a ruling by a South Korean court that found the Alanyaspor striker guilty of secretly recording explicit videos without consent.
Hwang has been sentenced to one year in prison and placed under two years of probation, a judgment that sparked swift disciplinary action from the KFA.
The KFA announced that its decision was not only based on its own regulations but also aligned with the rules set by the Korean Olympic Committee and Sports Council.
The sanction effectively ends Hwang’s international career, ruling him out of national team duty and prohibiting him from registering as a player or coach within South Korea during the suspension. However, the ban does not extend to his club career abroad, meaning he remains eligible to continue playing outside Korea.
Hwang first rose to prominence with Seongnam FC, where his prolific scoring earned him moves abroad, including stints in Japan with Gamba Osaka, France with Bordeaux, Greece with Olympiacos, and most recently, in Europe with Nottingham Forest and Norwich City.
He amassed 62 caps and 19 goals for South Korea, with his finest moment coming at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta-Palembang, where he played a pivotal role in securing the gold medal — a triumph that exempted him from mandatory military service.
Once seen as a cornerstone of South Korea’s forward line, Hwang now faces the reality of being barred from domestic football activities for two decades. The ruling leaves his career trajectory in jeopardy, though his future in Turkey with Alanyaspor technically remains unaffected.
Credit Photo : MUSTAFA YALCIN / ANADOLU AGENCY
