Paris Saint-Germain’s Kang-in Lee is back in South Korea with the national team. This is the first time the midfielder has faced the media in his home country after the incident at the 2023 Asian Cup.
Lee apologized on Wednesday for the incident that began when he and a few younger teammates decided to leave the team dinner early to play table tennis.
Nonetheless, Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min, who is the captain of South Korea’s national team, viewed the gathering as a chance for team bonding before the semifinals against Jordan.
However, when Lee declined Son’s request to return to the dinner, tensions escalated, resulting in a physical altercation and Son suffering a dislocated finger.
After Lee apologized in front of the Korean media, the Spurs star also commented on the matter and noted his desire to put the situation behind them and look toward the future.
“It takes courage to apologize, and Kang-in stood in front of everyone to do it sincerely,” Son said (h/t Korea Times US). “I think it allowed everyone to really come close. The vibe in the room is not too bad.
“I think you won’t have to write about my finger anymore. My coach at Tottenham (Ange Postecoglou) said since I am a football player, I’d be okay without a finger.”
South Korea will have a pair of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches this FIFA break against Thailand.
