National team midfielder Son Jun-ho, who participated in the Qatar World Cup, was found to be under investigation by Chinese police authorities while in custody for being involved in a match-fixing incident that took place at his current team, Chinese professional soccer team Shandong Taishan.

An official from the Korean Embassy in China said on the 15th, “We understand that the (public security) authorities in China’s Liaoning Province are investigating Sohn while he is in custody.” did.

According to a source familiar with the situation, Son Jun-ho has been under investigation by the Public Security Bureau of Chaoyang City in Liaoning Province since the 12th in a state of “criminal detention.” It’s the fourth day after all.

Since the main body of the investigation is the Liaoning Provincial Public Security Authority, Sohn is being investigated after being transferred from Shandong Province, where he is staying. Chinese public security authorities are known to have notified the Consulate General of Shenyang, the Korean diplomatic mission under the jurisdiction of Liaoning Province, on the 15th that he is being held in criminal detention.

‘Criminal detention’ is a compulsory investigation carried out while temporarily detained for an investigative need for an active offender or suspect.

Cases in which there is a risk of escape or destruction of evidence, and cases in which criminal evidence is found at the place of residence are stipulated as requirements for criminal detention under the Chinese Criminal Procedure Law. In case of criminal detention, the public security agency can secure and investigate the recruit for up to 37 days.안전놀이터

Chinese media reported that there is a high possibility that Shandong Taishan players, including Son Jun-ho, are being investigated for misconduct, including match-fixing by their team’s manager Hao Wei.

At a regular briefing on the 15th, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin replied, “I don’t know the issue you (reporter) raised,” when asked by a foreign reporter, “Do you have any other information or comments on related reports?”

Amid the strong winds of circumstances blowing in the Chinese soccer world, Chinese media reported that Jin Jing-dao (Korean name Kim Gyeong-do), a Korean-Chinese player who previously belonged to Shandong Taishan, was arrested by Chinese judicial authorities in March.

Son Jun-ho, who started his professional life by joining Pohang in 2014, won a gold medal at the Incheon Asian Games in the same year and moved to Jeonbuk in 2018. He entered Shandong, China in 2021. 

He contributed to advancing to the round of 16 by playing in three matches against Uruguay, Portugal and Brazil at the World Cup last year in Qatar. In March, he appeared in 20 A-matches, including both Uruguay and Colombia, which were the debut matches of coach Jurgen Klinsmann.