Lee Kang In issued official apologies for his actions yesterday, acknowledging his part in the incident. Subsequently, Dispatch, a news outlet, revealed further details about the altercation. On February 15th, Dispatch explained that Lee Kang In and some other players had chosen to play ping-pong instead of joining the team dinner, an event intended to foster camaraderie among the players. However, during the dinner, the noise from the ping-pong game in another room disrupted the atmosphere, as the players engaged loudly. Son Heung Min and another player approached Lee Kang In and the others, requesting their presence at the dinner. According to Dispatch, their request was refused, leading Son Heung Min to grab Lee Kang In by the collar, and in response, Lee Kang In struck him in the face. In the process of separating the involved parties, Son Heung Min accidentally injured his finger when it got caught in another player's clothing. Following this, Son Heung Min extended his hand to Lee Kang In, signaling his desire to put the altercation behind them, and Lee Kang In subsequently offered his personal apologies.
Following these events, the law firm representing Lee Kang In released a statement on behalf of the player, expressing remorse and acknowledging his mistakes. The statement emphasized Lee Kang In's deep regret for causing discomfort and concern among football fans. Considering his central role in the dispute, Lee Kang In believed that offering apologies, rather than providing detailed accounts of the incident, was the most appropriate course of action. However, recent articles, particularly those from Dispatch, contained inaccurate information that was exaggerated and presented as truth. Therefore, it is necessary to correct any erroneous information. The statement clarified two points: first, that the articles claiming Lee Kang In punched Son Heung Min in the face when Son Heung Min grabbed his collar are different from the truth, and second, that playing table tennis was a common activity involving senior players before the incident took place. The statement concluded by promising to address any remaining issues in due course and offering sincere apologies to those disappointed by Lee Kang In's actions.
While many fans are calling for the permanent exclusion of the PSG player from the national team, others are even questioning his military exemption due to his misconduct within the representative selection of the country.
