Lee Kang-in apologizes to Son Heung-min who forgives him with generosity

Son Heung-min (left) and Lee Kang-in rub shoulders after reconciling in London, England. Son Heung-min Instagram

A scuffle between Korean national footballers during the Asian Cup in Qatar, with the dismissal of head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has left a deep scar on the world of Korean professional football. The conflict between captain Son Heung-min (of Tottenham Hotspur) and rising star Lee Kang-in (of Paris Saint-Germain), became an excuse for Klinsmann, who was fired after causing various controversies, failing to show good performance at the international tournament.

The conflict, which was likely to be prolonged, has turned into reconciliation created by the players themselves.

Lee, who is younger than Son, humbly admitted what he did was wrong. He released an apology on his Instagram account on February 21. Lee visited Son in England in-person and apologized to the captain from the heart.

Lee said, "I did something that I should have never done at the dinner table that day. Even the thought of it now, it was an action I should have never done,” adding, “I thought it was important to visit Son and apologize from the bottom of my heart, and through a long conversation, I’ve come to realize the weight of being the captain of the national team and reflected on myself.” Lee also said, "I would like to take this opportunity to thank Son again for kindly welcoming me to London. I also contacted other teammates of the national team and apologized for the incident. I will try my best to improve myself as a football player.”

Son responded to Lee’s heartfelt apology with a warm hug. A few hours after Lee posted his apology, Son posted a message on his Instagram account asking for forgiveness to Lee.

Son said, “Lee sincerely reflected on himself and made a sincere apology to all the players of the national team, including me,” adding, “We will take special care of him as seniors and the captain of the national team to help him grow into a better person and a better player so that he won't do this wrong again. Lee has had a very difficult time since the incident. Please forgive him with generosity. I sincerely ask you to do so as the captain.”

The former captain of the national football team, Ki Sung-yueng (of FC Seoul), cheered for the national footballers by leaving a comment saying, "You're the best."

The incident, which was revealed by the media after the tournament, left a lasting scar on both players. Lee, in particular, was severely criticized, but he was able to overcome the crisis with Son’s generous forgiveness.

The Korea Football Association vowed to take measures to prevent the same problem from happening again. Amid criticism that the weight of the national flag may be lighter than in the past, the association also expressed its intention to help national footballers who play for the national team firmly develop their own philosophy.

※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.