Korean pro explains sequence of events that led to his obscene gesture, suspension

Details have emerged regarding the sequence of events that led to Korean pro Bio Kim giving a fan the middle finger after hearing a camera click in his backswing during a Korean PGA tournament last week. The Korean PGA suspended Kim for three years in the immediate aftermath of the incident, which made headlines worldwide and elicited outrage over the harsh sentence.

Kim expressed regret for his behavior, and even issued an apology while on his knees for the Korean press.

According to a report by Korea’s Yonhap News Agency (which GOLF.com had translated by an interpreter), Kim gave his version of what happened on the course.

“I was exhausted at the time,” Kim said. “I was playing while appealing to my caddie that I was exhausted. I was sensitive because I was in the winning competition.”

“My caddie even asked [the fans] to be quiet, and to lower their camera. The camera shutter sound went off at the wrong time. It would have been better if it went off earlier or later. It was right at my downswing. I tried to stop but I couldn’t. I instantly couldn’t suppress my anger.

“It is all my fault,” Kim continued. “I think I deserve to be punished. I will accept any penalty.”

Kim ended up winning the KPGA tournament, and apologized to the gallery after holing the winning putt on the 18th green.

“I’m sorry,” he told fans. “I will be a more mature player.”

In Kim’s formal apology to the Korean media (translated for GOLF.com), Kim was accepting of his punishment, saying:

“I want to say again that I am sorry to the people at the gallery who were hurt, as well as my fellow players, my sponsors, and the committee, and all the people who supported me. I will totally follow the will of the association and I want to say I’m sorry. Because it was my careless decision and wrong action, I will leave all the decision to the association. I will accept the punishment and going forward, I will carry the regret to my fellow players forever and will live my life as a better person before being a better player.”

You can watch the apology here:

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