South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo has described a drone incident during training as "unfortunate" ahead of his side's highly anticipated World Cup showdown against co-hosts Mexico.
The incident occurred during South Korea's training session on Tuesday in Guadalajara, where the Taegeuk Warriors were preparing for Thursday's pivotal Group A clash. A victory for either side would put them in a commanding position to qualify for the knockout stages and potentially secure top spot in the group.
According to South Korean news agency Yonhap, concerns were raised after a drone was spotted flying above the training ground, prompting fears of potential espionage. The report stated that the device was eventually brought down by Mexico's military using radio signal technology.
"Yesterday during our training there was a drone in the sky, and we came to know about the fact," Hong told reporters.
"Fortunately, it happened just before we started practicing our tactics, so it did not impact us significantly. But while we were preparing for the match, that was the most important timing. What happened was unfortunate."
Drone flights are prohibited over World Cup stadiums and official facilities in Mexico and the United States throughout the tournament.
Yonhap reported that a South Korea team security officer first identified the drone before a Mexican military drone-interdiction specialist stationed at the training base disabled it by emitting radio signals.
Two individuals believed to be operating the drone reportedly recovered the crashed device before leaving the area.
The Korea Football Association has since filed an official report with FIFA and requested assurances that a similar incident will not occur again during the tournament.
Mexican federal authorities have yet to comment on the matter, while officials in Jalisco stated they had no formal record of the incident.
Despite the disruption, Hong remains focused on Thursday's crucial encounter and expects a difficult challenge against the tournament hosts.
Mexico opened their World Cup campaign with a 2-0 victory over South Africa, while South Korea came from behind to defeat Czechia 2-1.
Hong highlighted Mexico's creative midfield and acknowledged the influence of a passionate home crowd.
"We fully understand that it's going to be a match with the home team, and we know that's going to give benefits to the home team," he said.
"But my players have experienced such matches before. We need to control the rhythm and the flow of the match."
With both teams opening the tournament with victories, Thursday's clash in Guadalajara could prove decisive in determining the Group A winners and shaping the route to the knockout rounds.
