Kang-In Lee still awaiting South Korea clearance to join Atlético Madrid | OneFootball

Kang-In Lee remains in South Korea awaiting government clearance to travel, delaying his start with Atlético Madrid’s pre-season. The 25-year-old is exempt from mandatory military service thanks to his 2023 Asian Games gold, yet he still cannot leave the country.

According to Superdeporte, he requires legal permission to depart, subject to approval from the Defence Ministry and immigration, and it appears he may have little or no time in Madrid during pre-season. He should already be working under Diego Pablo Simeone.

Atlético fly to Stockholm on 31 July to face Manchester United, then head to Seoul on five August to play Manchester City on nine August. As he cannot get to Madrid, the club will in effect come to him, with the Seoul match long arranged. The timing means he can join the squad at home while he waits for clearance.

Even if his visa is approved in the coming days, the club would not put him on a 14-hour flight to Madrid or Stockholm only to return to Korea soon after.

By then the Defence Ministry should have signed off his permit, and if all is in order he will fly back from Seoul with the group. It is still unclear whether they will land in Madrid or in France, where the final pre-season fixture is on 14 August. His first arrival in the capital as an Atlético player could be only four days before the LaLiga opener on 19 August at the Estadio Metropolitano against Málaga CF.

Source: Superdeporte