SEOUL: South Korean international footballer Son Jun-ho, who was detained by Chinese authorities in connection with a bribery case, has been released and has returned home, Seoul’s foreign ministry said on Monday.

The World Cup midfielder was detained in northeast China last May “on suspicion of accepting bribes by non-state employees”, the Chinese government said at the time, without providing further details.

Son “recently arrived in South Korea as his detention ended” after 10 months, the South Korean foreign ministry said on Monday.

The government has provided “active legal assistance through close communication with Son’s family”, it added.

The Korea Football Association confirmed Son’s release, saying the 31-year-old footballer had returned.

Son had played for Shandong Taishan football club in the Chinese Super League since 2021 and appeared in three of South Korea’s four matches during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

His arrest came after a slew of corruption probes by Chinese authorities targeting the head of China’s football governing body and other top officials.

South Korea’s team is in Bangkok ahead of a World Cup qualifier against Thailand on Tuesday.

Midfielder Lee Jae-sung told media that he was grateful for Son’s release.

“It broke my heart when I first heard about his detention last year,” he told a press conference in Bangkok, according to Yonhap news agency.

“I am so grateful to receive this news before our match here. I hope he will soon start playing football again, because that’s what he loves to do.”

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2024