South Korean national soccer team midfielder, Son Jun-ho, currently playing for China’s Shandong Taishan soccer club, has been criminally detained on bribery charges, according to an announcement by the Chinese government. Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed at a press briefing that Son was in the custody of the Liaoning public security agency, facing charges of “bribery by a non-state functionary.”

Wang reportedly emphasized that China is a country “ruled by law” and assured that the case would be managed accordingly, “protecting the legal rights of the involved party.” He also stated that the Liaoning province public security agency has notified the South Korean Consulate General in Shenyang and will facilitate the necessary support for South Korean consular officials to carry out their duties. As of Tuesday evening, Son has been under criminal detention for five days, with the investigation being led by the public security bureau in Chaoyang City, Liaoning Province.