A Chinese media outlet is raising eyebrows with its misleading information about Son Jun-ho, 32, who was released from detention after more than 10 months.
In an article titled “Son Junho Refused to Confess and China’s Foreign Ministry Responded Strongly,” the Chinese portal Sohu.com conveyed several inaccurate facts about Son Junho 온라인카지노 on June 26.
Son Jun-ho, who plays for Shandong Taishan in the Chinese Super League, was detained on May 15 last year while trying to return home through Hongqiao Airport in Shanghai, China. He was subsequently detained by the Chaoyang City Public Security Bureau in Liaoning Province and investigated for “soliciting non-state agents,” and returned home on May 25 after more than 10 months.
The crime of bribery of non-state officials applies to cases in which a person who works for an enterprise or other unit that is not a government agency illegally accepts property from another person using the convenience of his or her position. In the end, it appears that Son had been under investigation for bribery, not for his involvement in the match-fixing scandal in Shandong Taishan.
The media outlet first reported the words of soccer commentator Park Moon-sung, who first shared Son’s feelings. After receiving a phone call from Son, Park said on his YouTube channel, “As soon as I answered the phone, he cried. He cried and said, ‘I was able to come back because so many people cared about you and didn’t forget about you. Thank you very much,'” he said.
“He said he was released last week. He said that he couldn’t tell anyone until he got off the plane and landed in Korea because he was afraid that he would be arrested again.” “He said, ‘All the complicated processes have been sorted out. He said, ‘I don’t have to go to China again and I don’t have to go through all that trouble,'” conveying that Son had been cleared of all charges against him.
However, the media reported that “Son Junho shouted on the phone, ‘I will never go to China again,’ and said, ‘The whole process of entanglement with China is over. I don’t have to go to China again, and I don’t have to go through such difficulties.” This is a distortion of his words. It misrepresented Mr. Park’s words as if he had actually said, “I don’t want to go to China anymore because I hate it.
The media outlet also emphasized that Son became the first foreign player in Chinese soccer history to be investigated and convicted, and that he tried to flee to South Korea before being arrested. The entire Shandong Taishan squad was summoned and questioned by the authorities in early May last year, but only Son Junho was left out, and a few days later, sensing something was amiss, Son Junho was arrested while trying to flee to South Korea.
The media outlet claimed that Son Junho’s alleged crime of harboring non-state agents was linked to Jin Jingdao, an ethnic Korean also known by the name Kim Kyung Do. Given that Jin Jingdao was on the same team as Son Jun-ho and had good language communication, it was speculated that Son Jun-ho was also involved in match-fixing. The possibility of complicity due to their relationship has been covered by Chinese media on several occasions.
However, the outlet emphasized that “even though the Chinese side provided solid evidence and he was convicted, Son Jun-ho, who returned to South Korea, continues to strongly deny the charges against him, and the South Korean media is advocating the attitude that he is innocent,” effectively treating him as a criminal. He argued that South Korean social media users’ support for Son Junho, who was arrested after 319 days, was due to the fact that South Korean media continued to publicize his claims of innocence.
In particular, the outlet reported that Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, in response to a question about Sun’s release at a regular briefing on Saturday, said, without elaborating, “In principle, China is a country of law, handles cases in strict accordance with the law, and guarantees the various legitimate rights and interests of parties in accordance with the law.” However, he added a strange interpretation, saying, “No matter how much Sun Junho claims his innocence, ‘I am innocent,’ but in China, a country with the rule of law, he will be dealt with strictly according to the law.”
“Son Junho used to play for Shandong Taishan and helped them win the league title and FA Cup. Before his arrest, he was an active member of the South Korean national team and represented his country at the World Cup in Qatar.” “It will be very difficult for Son to return to professional soccer in the future. It depends on the attitude of the Korean media and the Korea Football Association,” as if to emphasize the nuance that the criminal charges will make it difficult for him to return to the game.
On the 26th, Son Junho shared his feelings on his return to Korea on his social media (SNS), saying, “I am grateful that I am back safely and can spend a relaxing time with my family and enjoy a normal life,” and “I am sincerely grateful to the people of Korea for their interest, patience, and worry over the years.”
Park Dae-yeon, CEO of Son Jun-ho’s agency, NEST, told Yonhap News Agency, “For now, Son Jun-ho is going to focus on resting with his family at his home in Busan and recovering mentally,” but added, “If he is mentally and physically ready, we will immediately push for his return to the field this summer.”
In addition, Park said that Son’s return to the field could be unclear if he is found guilty of even a part of the charges, “I didn’t ask him about that because I think it’s important for him to stabilize first.” “His legal counsel will know the exact details,” he said.