South Korea drops loan striker Hwang from Norwich City
2 Striker Hwang Ui-Jo is anticipated to be included in Norwich City’s lineup for their match against Watford this evening, even though he was left off of his country’s squad due to accusations of sexual misconduct.
Police in South Korea are looking into allegations that the 31-year-old secretly recordecurrentlyd a woman and shared the video.
Cybercrime authorities in Seoul earlier this month questioned the forward, who is on a season-long loan from Nottingham Forest, about the charges, which he vehemently denies.
After the probe became public, he continued to play for South Korea and eventually entered a match against China as a substitute.
The Korea Football Association (KFA), however, has since released a statement stating that he will not return to action with the national team until the investigation is over.
He is reportedly included in the team for tonight’s Championship game, despite the pressure the story has placed on the Canaries.
Hwang scored the game-winning goal in Norwich City’s 1-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, making his Norwich City debut.
Manager David Wagner stated prior to the game that Hwang would be “involved on the pitch” but that new sporting director Ben Knapper was handling the situation.
Following the match, Wagner stated in an interview that “it has not been super easy for him personally.”
“His head is with us and football – anything else we have to see how it continues.”
Hwang has filed a counterclaim for defamation and blackmail against his accuser and refutes all of the accusations made against him.
He says he lost the phone when playing for Olympiacos in Greece, but the clip was taken with her permission.
In June, a woman claiming to be Hwang’s ex-partner filed accusations against him on social media.
Hwang received support from his national team boss, veteran German striker Jurgen Klinsmann, after word of the inquiry leaked earlier this month.
“Ui-jo, you know, these things that are going on are speculations,” he said to reporters from Korea.
“I live in this world for forty years, playing professional football, and there are always rumors,” he continued. Additionally, I won’t believe anything that others hypothesize about until it’s supported by evidence.
Therefore, I find it very normal that Ui-jo is not real, despite current rumors that are being circulated in Korea
Following a meeting with representatives from its national team technical committee and ethical committee, the KFA changed its stance.
The ethics committee’s head, Lee Yoon-nam, stated: “National athletes have a duty to behave with high moral standards and a sense of responsibility and must manage his private life according to such standards.”
