'I'm glad everything's worked out': Giants' Lee talks brief detainment at LAX

Justice delos Santos, The Mercury News on Jan 24, 2026

Published in Baseball

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

SAN RAMON, Calif. — Prior to the second leg of the San Francisco Giants’ FanFest tour, outfielder Jung Hoo Lee described his brief detainment at the Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday evening as a “misunderstanding this one time” and said he was glad everything had been sorted out.

“Obviously, a bit hectic the last few days, but I’m glad everything’s worked out,” Lee said through team interpreter Brian Kang.

Lee said he had all the paperwork he typically brings when he flies into the country, adding that he spent a little over four hours at the airport. He declined to specify what paperwork he was missing.

Justin Han, Lee’s interpreter, also had “passport issues” but will fly into the country next week. Lee said he did not think the current political climate had anything to do with his temporary detainmnent.

“I don’t think there’s anything specific that I’m too worried about in that sense,” Lee said. “I’m just glad it got resolved and I’m back with my teammates.”

Earlier this month, 17 members of the Giants organization visited Lee in South Korea as part of a goodwill tour, a group that included president of baseball operations Buster Posey, general manager Zack Minasian, new manager Tony Vitello and shortstop Willy Adames.

Lee said the trip is “something that I won’t forget for the rest of my life,” one of the highlights being when he took the contingent out for Korean BBQ. Lee also brought Adames and Vitello on a tour of Namdaemun Market while Posey and Minasian met with Heo Koo-Youn, the commissioner of the KBO.

Additionally, the Giants put on a baseball clinic at LG Champion’s Park for 30 local high school players. Lee and Shane Robinson, one of the new coaches under Vitello, coached outfield drills while Adames and Jae-Gyun Hwang, a former Giant, conducted infield drills.

“It’s pretty evident the support that the Giants have in my home country in South Korea,” Lee said. “It’s pretty cool to see the fans rallying around the team and getting excited about us over here in San Francisco. It’s really cool to see the Giants investing and putting a bigger focus in my home country, and I’m really excited to keep that momentum going.”

Said Vitello of the trip last Saturday: “A lot of meals and breaking bread with everybody. For me, being in my first year, it was great to be around any of those people. Even Willy, who I’d spent a lot of time with in person, it provided a better opportunity to get to know him.”

Lee will soon return to Asia for the World Baseball Classic as one of the star players for South Korea, which has never won the tournament.

South Korea is part of Pool C, which will play in Tokyo from March 5-10. Pool C also features Japan, the reigning champions, Australia, Czechia and Chinese Taipei. If South Korea goes on a run, there’s a possibility that Lee faces teammate Logan Webb, who’s part of the United States’ star-studded rotation.

“It’s a big honor and a privilege to represent my country at the WBC, and I’m really excited to … have the opportunity to face off against Logan Webb, my teammate,” said Lee, who played for South Korea in 2023. “We’ll definitely have a lot of talks before then. It’s on us to make sure we can face Logan eventually in that tournament.”

____