Lee Jae-myung, owner of the South Korean football club Seongnam FC recently disciplined for his public criticism of officiating, said Tuesday he has withdrawn his appeal against an earlier penalty, a surprise announcement that came only hours before the national pro football body was to hold a meeting to review his punishment.

Earlier this month, Lee received a “warning,” the most lenient penalty meted out by the K League, after he complained about the quality of officiating in the first division K League Classic on his Facebook page in late November. Lee, who is also the mayor of Seongnam, the home city of the football club lying just south of Seoul, cited specific matches to illustrate his points. The K League’s disciplinary committee said Lee’s words tarnished the image of the league.

Despite receiving the lightest form of penalty, Lee said he still couldn’t accept it and promptly appealed the decision. The K League was scheduled to hold a board meeting later on Tuesday to review the penalty on Lee, before the owner made a quick shift in his stance.

In a statement, the Seongnam municipal government said Lee had a meeting with K League secretary-general Han Woong-soo on Monday, and the two discussed ways to “mutually cooperate” for the development of football in the country.

“Mayor Lee and secretary-general Han agreed that it would be detrimental to the growth of South Korean football if (Seongnam FC and the league) remained at odds, and they agreed that the appeal should be withdrawn,” the statement read.

Separately, Lee said he reached his decision “for the greater good.”

“Instead of trying to prove the unfairness of the penalty, I felt that helping the K League’s efforts to restore fans’ trust would be more beneficial to realizing our common goal, which is to help grow South Korean football,” Lee added. (Yonhap)