'Rudeness Controversy' Kwon Soon-woo Posts Handwritten Apology... "I Was Disrespectful and Reckless"

Apology Visit to Samreje Training Center in Thailand

After losing in the men's singles tennis match at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, Kwon Soon-woo (26, Dangjin City Hall), who sparked controversy for 'refusing to shake hands,' apologized, saying he was "thoughtless."

In a handwritten apology released through the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee on the 26th, Kwon Soon-woo wrote, "As a national representative athlete, I acted thoughtlessly in a way I should not have. I sincerely apologize to all the citizens who supported the national team and the spectators at the venue. I am sorry."

Player Kwon Soon-woo [Photo by Yonhap News]

He continued, "I also sincerely apologize once again to player Kasidit Samrej, who must have been upset by my rude behavior."

Kwon Soon-woo, a leading figure in Korean tennis, was eliminated after losing 1-2 to Thailand's Kasidit Samrej in the second round of the men's singles tournament held the previous day.

After the defeat was confirmed, Kwon Soon-woo could not contain his frustration and struck his racket on the court six times. While packing his belongings, Samrej approached to shake hands, but Kwon did not look at him and effectively refused the handshake.

Seeing Kwon Soon-woo's behavior, spectators and sports fans both domestically and internationally criticized it as inappropriate through social media, sparking a 'bad manners controversy.'

According to the Korea Tennis Association, Kwon Soon-woo visited the Thai team to personally apologize before the day's match schedule.

[Photo by Korea Sports Council]

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee also issued a statement under the name of Choi Yoon, head of the Korean delegation to the Hangzhou Asian Games, saying, "We deeply regret Kwon Soon-woo's unsportsmanlike conduct," and "We promise to take appropriate measures after a comprehensive review of the situation following the conclusion of the Games." They added, "Once again, we offer our sincere apologies to the public who were disappointed by this incident."

Jang Mi-ran, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, who is encouraging the Korean delegation in Hangzhou, said, "Athletes must demonstrate the spirit of fair play that meets the expectations of the public. Kwon Soon-woo's problematic behavior today is very regrettable, and I ask for necessary measures to ensure that such incidents do not happen again within the Korean delegation."