Manager Lee Geun: "Re-entry and hotel rumors are not true... Completely lost contact"

"Maliciously Fabricated Statements Under Legal Review"
"Please Refrain from Fake News... Lives Are at Stake"

YouTuber Lee Geun, a former Navy Special Warfare Unit member, who forced his departure earlier this month to join the Ukrainian International Volunteer Corps / Photo by Lee Geun Instagram capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Amid rampant rumors about the whereabouts of YouTuber Lee Geun, a former Navy Special Warfare Group captain who illegally entered Ukraine to join the International Volunteer Forces, Lee’s manager has come forward to clarify the situation.

On the 24th, Lee’s manager posted a comment on Lee’s YouTube channel stating, "Recently, various fake news about Captain Lee Geun’s participation in Ukraine have surfaced," and added, "It is clearly all false."

According to Lee’s manager, numerous baseless rumors about Lee have spread across social media and online communities. These rumors include ▲fines for missing reserve training ▲death in combat ▲death caught in a base bombing ▲attempt to re-enter Poland ▲filming a movie at a hotel in Poland ▲staying at a hotel in western Ukraine.

Regarding these rumors, Lee’s manager said, "These are malicious fabrications," and emphasized, "We are currently reviewing legal actions for defamation, insult to Captain Lee Geun’s honor, and dissemination of false information."

He added, "Please refrain from spreading any more unsubstantiated fake news. Lives could be at stake," and noted, "Due to mission security, no one except authorized personnel knows Captain Lee Geun’s current location, and all contact has been completely cut off."

Earlier, on the 15th, Lee himself updated his Instagram account saying, "I am alive. I am alone and have a lot to do. I am busy fighting every day." However, this post has since been deleted.

Meanwhile, on the 6th, Lee announced on Instagram his intention to join the Ukrainian International Volunteer Forces. He said, "When the President of Ukraine called for help from around the world, ROKSEAL immediately prepared for the volunteer mission," adding, "We cannot just stand by without helping using the skills, knowledge, and expertise we possess."

Currently, the government has issued a 'Level 4 Travel Alert' banning civilians from traveling throughout Ukraine. To depart, one must obtain exceptional passport use permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but it appears Lee left without such approval.

Regarding this, Lee claimed, "I felt strong opposition from the Korean government, which caused friction. We were threatened that entering a travel-restricted country would result in being treated as criminals," and emphasized, "If I return alive, I will take full responsibility and accept any punishment given."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.