KT, one of South Korea's leading Telecom companies, has decided to prematurely end its promotion featuring Lee Kang In, who has been embroiled in a controversy within the national South Korean football team. This decision appears to be a response to the various negative opinions surrounding him.

According to sources in the telecommunications industry, on February 16, KT swiftly removed posters featuring Lee Kang In as the advertising model for the Samsung Galaxy S24 series from all its nationwide agencies and sales points. Originally slated to run until the 17th of this month, the promotion was abruptly concluded a day earlier. 

While KT explained the decision as a result of the promotion's scheduled end, it's evident that the escalating negative sentiment towards Lee Kang In, including discussions of boycotting the brand, prompted this swift action. Early removal of posters before the promotion's completion is a rare occurrence.

Regarding the termination of the sponsorship contract with Lee Kang In, KT responded by stating that they are currently evaluating various factors, and no final decision has been made.

Previously, KT had sponsored Lee Kang In following his receipt of the 'Golden Ball' award for the best player at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in 2019, employing him as an advertising model for six years. 

Additionally, KT recently renewed its sponsorship contract with Lee Kang In on the 16th of last month, immediately after the first match of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup group stage against Bahrain.

Lee Kang In finds himself at the center of the internal conflicts within the national team, known as the 'Table Tennis Gate,' which unfolded just before the Asian Cup quarterfinal match against Jordan. 

According to reports, on February 5, the South Korean soccer team convened for a team dinner ahead of their semifinal match against Jordan. The purpose of the dinner was to foster team unity and reinforce the notion that they were a cohesive unit on the eve of the important match.

However, on that particular day, several younger players, including Lee Kang In, Seol Young Woo, and Jung Woo Young, departed the dinner prematurely to engage in a game of table tennis.

Feeling that their actions were wrong, team captain Son Heung Min attempted to intervene and persuade the members to remain at the dinner. Despite his efforts, they disregarded his request. Reports suggest that Son Heung Min, frustrated by their defiance, allegedly grabbed Lee Kang In's collar, prompting Lee Kang In to respond with an alleged punch towards Son Heung Min.