South Korean player Lee Jung-hoo was briefly held at Los Angeles airport but has been released after clarifying it was a documentation issue.

Lee Jung-hoo, the South Korean outfielder for MLB’s San Francisco Giants, had planned to play for South Korea in the upcoming March World Baseball Classic (WBC) and was set to compete against Chinese Taipei at the Tokyo Dome. However, upon arriving at Los Angeles International Airport from South Korea, he was briefly detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) due to documentation issues. He was later released with assistance from the team and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office.

According to The San Francisco Standard, Lee’s trip was originally for a fan event hosted by the Giants in San Ramon. His agent, Scott Boras, explained, “Lee Jung-hoo was temporarily held by immigration officers at the airport because of a paperwork issue. This matter is not political; it mainly concerns the absence of a required supporting document.” South Korean media outlet OSEN noted that MLB international players must enter on a P-1 visa and carry supporting contract documents for verification.

The Giants organization later issued a statement saying, “Lee Jung-hoo experienced a brief delay at Los Angeles airport due to travel document issues. The matter was quickly resolved with the relevant authorities, and he has been allowed to continue his journey. We appreciate the professional handling by all involved parties.” A spokesperson for Pelosi’s office, representing the San Francisco district, confirmed their team worked with the Giants, congressional colleagues, and federal personnel to ensure the issue was settled. CBP has not commented on the incident.