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Mexican military down drone at South Korea training camp

Published 18 June 2026

Mexican military forces intercepted and brought down an unregistered drone that flew near the South Korean national soccer team's training camp in Guadalajara, an incident the team's coach described as unfortunate ahead of a crucial World Cup match. The event occurred on Tuesday during a closed-door training session at Chivas Verde Valle in Zapopan, western Mexico.

According to a Mexican federal official who spoke on condition of anonymity, specialized military equipment detected the drone, prompting security forces to neutralize it. South Korean officials reported that a team security official first spotted the drone while players were warming up and alerted the Mexican military personnel on duty. The Korea Football Association stated that two men believed to be the operators retrieved the drone and fled the scene before authorities could apprehend them. The association has asked local police to investigate and notified FIFA.

South Korea coach Hong Myungbo addressed the incident during a press conference on Wednesday. He said the drone was spotted before the team began its tactical work, so it did not significantly impact their preparation. He added, however, that the timing...

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