Lee Kang-in expresses his disappointment during a game against Venezuela in Ulsan on Oct. 2.YONHAP
Atletico Madrid midfielder Lee Kang-in on Tuesday denied online rumors that he had caused a rift within the Korean national team and vowed legal action against those spreading them.
“We have confirmed that untrue content about Lee Kang-in has recently spread indiscriminately, mainly online,” The Black Label, which manages Lee’s off-field activities, said in a statement. “The series of claims now being raised have nothing to do with Lee Kang-in and are groundless.”
The rumors began after a friendly against Uzbekistan on Oct. 6, with talk that three players — defender Kim Min-jae, midfielder Hwang In-beom and forward Hwang Hee-chan — would retire from the national team, citing frustration that nothing was changing. The controversy further spread to claims that the squad had split into two factions, one formed around the three players, all born in 1996, and the other around captain Son Heung-min and other veterans.
Unverified claims followed that Lee had joined Kim Min-jae and others in freezing out Son, or had led the infighting on the team.
Some videos circulating online added captions hinting at conflict to clips of players laughing. It has not been confirmed who the players were laughing at or what they were talking about.
Comments flooded Lee’s social media accounts. Some pressed him on whether he was involved in the rift, and others demanded that he step away from the national team.
Lee Kang-in, whose agency has dismissed rumors that he played a part in a rift on the national team, trains with captain Son Heung-min at Korea Football Park in Cheonan, South Chungcheong, on Oct. 5, ahead of a friendly against Uzbekistan.YONHAP
Other internet users revived Lee’s clash with Son at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, held in Qatar in early 2024, and tied it to the latest allegations. The two got into a physical altercation during the tournament but later reconciled.
No concrete evidence has emerged that Lee was involved in any recent conflict on the team.
“We are collecting material on posts and comments that amount to spreading false information and defamation,” the agency said. “We will take the necessary legal steps depending on the case.”
The agency vowed to respond firmly to the spread of false information and defamation.
“We will do our best to protect the player,” it said.
Lee signed a management contract with The Black Label. The agency currently represents Blackpink member Rosé and girl group MEOVV.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
