Austria Wien signs Kang Hee Lee

Kang Hee Lee is transferring from Gyeongnam FC in South Korea to Austria Wien. The 23-year-old defensive midfielder completed his medical tests on Thursday and will train with the team for the first time today, Friday. Lee has signed a contract with the Violets until summer 2029.

‘It feels great to be here in Austria and Vienna. I'm nervous, but all the more motivated to step onto the European stage, which I've been dreaming of since I was a kid. My first goal is to quickly integrate into the team and get some playing time. In the long term, my goal is to acquire the skills to compete at a higher level. Off the pitch, I want to learn more about the lifestyle in Europe and develop a professional mindset,’ says Kang Hee Lee, who is simply called Lee.

The tall midfielder has been playing for Gyeongnam FC since the summer of 2023. In the current year-long championship, Lee played the full 90 minutes in 15 of 16 possible games and scored two goals. In 2024, he played a total of seven times for the South Korean U23 national team and also captained his team once in the Asian Cup.

Lee was introduced to the team by sporting director Manuel Ortlechner today, Friday, before the start of training. Seung-Hwan Hwang, an interpreter, will always be at his side and will also travel to the training camp in Bad Tatzmannsdorf next week.

‘Since European football is at a high level in terms of tactics, physicality and pace, I expect to be able to improve my skills through training and playing in this environment. I think it will be particularly helpful for me to see and learn the game understanding, movements and techniques of my teammates up close. And I want to improve tactically through working together,’ said the midfielder, who has set himself ambitious goals.

Sporting director Manuel Ortlechner: ‘In Kang Hee Lee, we have been able to attract a player who not only impresses with his positional profile, but also with his character off the pitch and fits perfectly into our team. As a South Korean youth international, he has already shown his potential and is particularly impressive here with his height and physique. We are very pleased to have a real team player like him with us and hope that he will settle in quickly and help us achieve our goals.’