Why Was Lee Junghoo Detained for '4 Hours' at LA Airport, Not 1? ... "I Don't Think It's a Political Issue"

Giants, Boras, and Political Figures Step In
Lee Junghoo: "It Was Chaotic, But Everything Ended Smoothly"
Also Shares His Excitement for a Possible Showdown with Webb at the WBC

Lee Junghoo, a 27-year-old outfielder for the San Francisco Giants in Major League Baseball (MLB), has personally described the situation when he was detained for about four hours at Los Angeles (LA) International Airport during his entry into the United States.

On January 26, Yonhap News reported that Lee attended the San Francisco Giants Fan Fest event held in San Ramon, California, and gave an interview to local media.

Lee Junghoo of the San Francisco Giants in Major League Baseball (MLB) is giving an interview before departure at Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport on the 21st. Photo by Yonhap News

In the interview, Lee addressed the airport detention, saying, "It was initially reported to have lasted about an hour, but in reality, I stayed at the airport for about four hours." He added, "It's true that I was a bit disoriented for a few days, but with the help of people around me, my agent, and the club, everything was resolved smoothly. There was nothing particularly worrisome."

The delay in his entry was reportedly due to issues with documentation and communication. Lee explained, "I prepared the same documents as on my previous visits to the United States, and there was no problem with the preparation itself. It seems there was a minor communication error and an issue during the document verification process." However, he did not specify which documents were problematic.

Previously, on January 22, the San Francisco Giants released a statement from General Manager Jack Minasian, saying, "Lee Junghoo experienced a brief delay entering the country at LA airport due to a documentation issue, but it was quickly resolved by the relevant authorities. It had nothing to do with political reasons or illegal items." News of Lee's detention was reported rapidly in the United States, with major media outlets such as USA Today, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the New York Post covering the incident. It was also reported that Lee's agent Scott Boras, the Giants organization, federal government officials, and local politicians all worked to resolve the issue.

Jeonghu Lee, outfielder for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB) Photo by Yonhap News

During this process, Lee's interpreter, Han Donghee, also encountered issues during entry and returned to Korea. Han's entry was delayed by about a week, and at the Fan Fest event, Brian Kang, a Korean-American staff member of the Giants, served as interpreter. Lee distanced himself from interpretations linking the incident to the recent tightening of U.S. immigration enforcement. He stated, "I don't want to dwell on that aspect," and added, "I don't believe there are any particular political issues to worry about."

Meanwhile, at the event, Lee also shared his determination for the upcoming World Baseball Classic (WBC) scheduled for March. He said, "It is a great honor to represent my country in the WBC," and added, "If I get to face my teammate Logan Webb in the later rounds of the tournament, it would be truly thrilling." For the Korean national team to face the United States, they must reach at least the semifinals. Regarding this, Lee said, "I'll have many conversations with Webb before the tournament, but ultimately, it's up to our team to make that matchup happen," reaffirming his commitment.