South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo called a drone incident during a closed training session unfortunate as his side prepares for a key World Cup clash against co-hosts Mexico.

South Korea’s preparations for their World Cup Group A showdown against co-hosts Mexico were disrupted by the unexpected appearance of a drone during a closed training session, prompting concern from head coach Hong Myung-bo.

The incident occurred on Tuesday as South Korea conducted a private training session ahead of Thursday’s highly anticipated encounter at Guadalajara Stadium. According to Mexican security authorities, the drone was intercepted after being detected flying above the training ground without proper registration.

🚨🇰🇷 A DRONE was SHOT DOWN by Mexico’s National Guard after it was spotted flying over South Korea’s training session.

The Federation of the Asian team has already filed a formal complaint with FIFA over possible espionage ahead of the match against Mexico. 🤯

Via @ClaroSports pic.twitter.com/AP8QFfEPol

— All Fútbol MX 🇲🇽 (@AllFutbolMX) June 17, 2026

Mexican officials explained that the intervention formed part of a wider security operation currently in place across World Cup host cities. Thousands of security personnel and advanced surveillance technology have been deployed to ensure the smooth running of the tournament.

The heightened precautions come amid ongoing security concerns in Jalisco, a region that has experienced significant challenges related to organised crime and drug trafficking activities. Authorities have therefore taken a strict approach to monitoring airspace around official tournament venues and training facilities.

While there has been speculation that the drone may have been used to gather tactical information, no evidence has emerged to suggest who was operating the device or what its purpose was. Nevertheless, the timing of the incident raised eyebrows given that South Korea were preparing for a key tactical session.

Speaking to reporters, Hong described the disruption as unfortunate but insisted it would not derail his team’s preparations. The South Korean manager noted that the incident happened at an important stage of training, though he stressed that the squad’s overall plans remained largely unaffected.

South Korea head into the match in confident mood after securing a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over the Czech Republic in their opening group fixture. Another positive result against Mexico would put them in a strong position to advance to the knockout rounds.

A comeback for Korea Republic. 🇰🇷#FIFAWorldCup

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 12, 2026

Despite expecting a hostile atmosphere from a passionate home crowd, Hong believes his players are equipped to handle the occasion. He emphasised the importance of controlling the tempo of the game and managing key moments, confident that his experienced squad can remain composed as they seek another important World Cup result.