The Korean Football Association has issued an apology following allegations that it provided 'sexual services' to foreign referees. The governing body responded to the controversy on Saturday after a government audit brought the matter to light, while police are conducting a separate investigation into the KFA.
Allegations of Misconduct
The KFA is reported to have used corporate cards to pay for 'sexual entertainment' for visiting referees during seven international fixtures in 2011 and 2012. A 2016 Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism report, uncovered by JTBC, showed that 10 foreign officials were involved, with trips to massage parlours where fees covered the costs of sexual services.
Two to four referees were provided with entertainment in six of the seven matches, while a single official was involved in the remaining game. Incidents were recorded in Seoul's Gangnam district, as well as in Ulsan and Changwon in Gyeongnam, according to the International Business Times.
Matches and Officials Involved
The matches included Olympic qualifiers against Qatar and Oman, and a World Cup qualifier against Kuwait. Friendly matches against Honduras, China's Olympic side, Poland, and an A-team match against Serbia were also revealed. The officials reportedly came from Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Uzbekistan.
In a statement, the KFA offered its apologies and declared that such activity is not currently taking place. The statement read: "We deeply apologise for causing concern over various issues involving the association, which emerged from a parliamentary hearing and an unprecedented search and seizure, and from reports about events from more than a decade ago, that even many within the organisation were unaware of."
The KFA added: "The association makes clear that inappropriate conduct of this kind, or the use of corporate cards for such purposes, is absolutely not currently taking place."
Ongoing Investigations
A parliamentary hearing was held last month to question former KFA president Chung Mong-gyu and Hong Myung-bo, who quit as Korea's head coach following the side's World Cup exit. Seoul police raided the KFA's offices on Thursday as part of an investigation linked to Hong's appointment.
Hong was appointed as South Korea's coach in 2024, having previously led the team from 2013 to 2014. The decision faced scrutiny after the KFA dropped its search involving foreign candidates to select Hong following a brief meeting. South Korea failed to advance from the group stage during the World Cup in Mexico, Canada, and the United States, and Hong resigned. The result intensified scrutiny over his appointment, and death threats required extreme security measures upon his return from the tournament.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung commented on social media: "I am not just taken aback by this unexpected outcome, I am utterly baffled. Once again, it has been proven that personnel decisions are everything. When loyalty and factionalism are valued over competence, and an incapable person is appointed as a leader, the outcome is as predictable as fire."
