Kim Min-jae applauds after the match against Iraq during the AFC Asian Qualifiers for the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football World Cup, Group B, fourth round, at Yongin Mir Stadium, Gyeonggi Province, Oct. 15. Yonhap

Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae, 28, divorced his wife after four years of marriage.

The South Korean national team defender's agency, Orange Bowl, said in a statement, "After careful consideration, Kim Min-jae has decided to end his marriage. The divorce process has been completed through mutual agreement."

Kim married in May 2020 and has a daughter.

The statement added, "The decision to divorce was made due to personality differences, and both have agreed to support each other as they go their separate ways. As parents, they have pledged to put their child first and do their best in that regard."

The couple made a surprise appearance on a TV program last May, where they showed a harmonious relationship.

"We apologize for delivering unfortunate news to the fans who love and support Kim Min-jae. He will continue to focus on showing his best on the field," the agency said.

Despite personal challenges, Kim, nicknamed "Monster" for his imposing physique, has been performing exceptionally well this season, bouncing back from a previous slump.

In a Bundesliga home game against Stuttgart on Sunday at Allianz Arena in Munich, Kim played the full 90 minutes, contributing to Bayern's 4-0 victory. He also received a rating of 7.6 from sports data site SofaScore, the fourth-highest among his team.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.