Apology Posted by Lee Kang-in: "I Will Go to London to Apologize to Hyung Heung-min in Person"

"Did Something You Should Never Do at the Dining Table"

Lee Kang-in (23, Paris Saint-Germain) publicly apologized for the recently surfaced 'national team discord rumors.'

On the 21st (Korean time), Lee Kang-in posted a lengthy apology on his Instagram. He bowed his head, saying, "I am sorry for disappointing the entire team, including the national team captain Son Heung-min hyung, and football fans."

Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in leaving the stadium after the semifinal match against Jordan.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

He continued, "I thought it was important to visit Heung-min hyung and sincerely apologize. Through a long conversation, I understood the weight he carries as the team captain and took time to reflect on myself," explaining, "(Son Heung-min) warmly welcomed me when I visited him in London and cheered me on."

He also added, "Although I knew in my head how earnest the conversation with Heung-min hyung was, I think all the problems started because I did not fully grasp that earnestness through my actions," and "I also did not listen carefully to the advice given to me and only expressed my own opinions."

He mentioned the situation when the 'discord rumors' arose. Lee Kang-in said, "I behaved in a way that should never have happened during a meal," and "I am deeply remorseful about these points."

He also said, "I contacted each senior and teammate on the national team one by one to apologize," and "I deeply reflect on the fact that my words and actions lacked consideration and respect when dealing with seniors and teammates," offering another apology.

Earlier, it was reported that Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in had a physical altercation during dinner on the evening of the 6th, the day before the Asian Cup semifinal match against the Jordan team. During this incident, Son suffered a finger dislocation injury.

On the 16th, in an interview with Tottenham's club channel 'Spurs Play,' Son Heung-min described the week following the Asian Cup disappointment as "the hardest time in my life," but said, "Fans, teammates, and coaches encouraged me."

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