Basketball coach Kang indicted for match-fixing

By Nam Hyun-woo

Kang Dong-hee

The prosecution Friday indicted basketball legend and former Korean Basketball League (KBL)’s Dongbu coach Kang Dong-hee on a charge of fixing basketball games.

Kang allegedly rigged four matches in 2011 in return for 47 million won ($42,200) paid by a broker, surnamed Choi. The two have been friends over a decade and Choi reportedly persuaded the basketball coach to fix matches.

The prosecution also indicted Choi and two others for taking part in the match-fixing.

Kang was arrested on March 11, and his team, Dongbu Promy, announced the next day Kang would resign from his managerial post.

All four of Korea’s major professional sports leagues -- baseball, football, basketball and volleyball -- have been rocked by game-rigging in recent years. This latest incident is the first to involve a previously incumbent head coach.