Lee Sang-min dropped from Asian Games squad due to DUI conviction

The KFA removed Seongnam FC defender Lee Sang-min from the Asian Games squad Tuesday after admitting that his inclusion broke the organization's own regulations on calling up players that have been fined 5 million won or more for drunk driving.

Seongnam FC defender Lee Sang-min [YONHAP]

The Korea Football Association (KFA) removed Seongnam FC defender Lee Sang-min from the Hangzhou Asian Games squad Tuesday after admitting that his inclusion broke the organization's own regulations on calling up players that have been fined 5 million won ($3,900) or more for drunk driving.

KFA rules stipulate that a player that has been fined 5 million won or more for drunk driving is not eligible to be included in the national team for three years. Lee was fined 5 million won on Aug. 5, 2020, making him ineligible to be called up to the Korean squad until Aug. 4 this year.

Despite the organization’s own rules, Lee was called up for the U-22 squad in 2021, the U-23 squad in 2022 and the U-24 team — the Asiad squad — this year. The 2021 and 2022 call up passed without notice, with the KFA claiming this week that it was only recently made aware of Lee's criminal record.

The current U-24 team takes the place of the traditional U-23 team, as the age limit has been raised for this year’s Asiad due to the tournament's one-year postponement caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in China.

The KFA apologized for failing to check Lee’s criminal record properly, blaming the fact that he had played mainly in the K League 2 where players are less well-known.

“We will face up to our administrative immaturity and we will come up with initiatives to prevent it from recurring,” the KFA said in a statement released on Tuesday.

U-24 team manager Hwang Sun-heong, who was responsible for calling up the Asiad squad, also apologized.

“Myself and the coaching staff sincerely apologize for being negligent in the process of selecting players,” Hwang said.

Lee has not commented on the matter as of press time Tuesday.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]