25.12.01.Today News : Shin Tae-yong Denies Assault Claims, Refutes Jeong’s Allegations

Former Ulsan HD Coach Shin Tae-yong Denies Assault Allegations: “If I Had Hit Players, I Wouldn’t Coach”

📍Jeong Seung-hyeon claims “I was slapped… players experienced several issues,” while Shin says it was “an exaggerated gesture, not assault.”

Former Ulsan HD coach Shin Tae-yong has firmly denied allegations that he physically assaulted players, including defender Jeong Seung-hyeon. Shin stated that “there was no assault,” adding that if such behavior had occurred, he “would not continue coaching.” The controversy resurfaced after Ulsan players revealed incidents of alleged misconduct following their final match of the season.

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🔹 The Beginning of the Controversy
The issue surfaced after Ulsan players secured their K League 1 stay on November 30 and revealed that Shin had slapped Jeong during their first meeting when he joined the club.
Jeong said, “Shin hit my cheek with his palm. Even if the person who hit says it wasn’t assault, if the victim feels assaulted, then that is assault. I believe several players experienced similar things.”

The video capturing the scene had already been circulating online, and the controversy intensified after Shin was effectively dismissed in October due to poor results.

🔹 Shin’s Official Response: “There was no assault—just an excessive gesture”
At the “K League 2025 Awards Ceremony” in Seoul on December 1, Shin addressed reporters and strongly denied the accusations.
He said, “As I mentioned in previous interviews, there was no assault. If I had ever assaulted or verbally abused players, I wouldn’t be coaching.”

Shin emphasized his long relationship with Jeong, saying:
“Jeong accompanied me to both the Olympics and the World Cup. Right before I left Ulsan, he was the last player I met, and we exchanged apologies. I don’t understand why he said those things. I want to ask him directly.”

🔹 “If he felt bad, I apologize”… Shin expresses regret
Shin acknowledged that his behavior may have been overly expressive but insisted it was not violence.
He said, “It was just an exaggerated expression after seeing a former student for the first time in a while. No one would assault someone during their first meeting. If Jeong felt uncomfortable, I sincerely apologize.”

🔹 Internal criticism and Ulsan’s potential statement
Jeong further suggested that “several issues existed,” implying that dissatisfaction among players during Shin’s tenure had been significant.

Shin, however, refrained from addressing the players’ criticism directly, saying, “I only hope Ulsan continues to do well. I’m relieved they remained in the first division.”

When told that Ulsan HD planned to release an official statement, Shin responded, “I had no idea. I’ll wait and see.”

One-line summary : Former Ulsan HD coach Shin Tae-yong denied all assault allegations, explaining that his actions were an “excessive gesture” but not physical violence.