Football association apologizes amid claims it provided sexual entertainment for foreign referees
Summary
The Korea Football Association apologized Saturday over allegations that it provided sexual entertainment to foreign referees before and after international matches in Korea between 2011 and 2012. The apology followed reports tied to a 2016 government audit and came amid wider scrutiny of the KFA after a parliamentary hearing and a police raid. The association said it would pursue sweeping reforms to improve transparency and restore integrity.
Key Facts
- A 2016 government audit said the KFA used corporate credit cards to pay for sexual entertainment for visiting referees at massage parlors and other adult establishments in Seoul and other cities.
- The audit said the conduct took place between March 2011 and March 2012 during international matches hosted in Korea.
- Those matches included qualifiers for the 2012 London Olympics and the 2014 FIFA World Cup, according to the report.
- About a dozen referees and match coordinators for seven matches received the favors, and they were from Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Bahrain and Uzbekistan.
- The ministry said Friday it had examined the allegations in an earlier audit but did not disclose details 10 years ago because it had difficulty verifying all the facts.
A Korea Football Association vehicle is seen outside its office in Seobuk District, Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, as police conduct a search and seizure, Thursday. Yonhap
The national football association apologized Saturday over allegations that it provided sexual entertainment to foreign referees before and after international matches held in the country between 2011 and 2012.
The apology came after a 2016 government audit showed that the Korea Football Association (KFA) used corporate credit cards to pay for sexual entertainment for visiting referees at massage parlors and other adult establishments in Seoul and other cities that hosted international matches between March 2011 and March 2012.
"We are deeply sorry for the disappointment and concern caused by the various issues and controversies surrounding the association since the 2026 FIFA World Cup," the KFA said.
"We express our sincere apologies for causing concerns over a range of issues, from a parliamentary hearing and an unprecedented police raid to media reports about incidents from more than a decade ago that even members within the federation were unaware of," it added.
The KFA vowed sweeping reforms and pledged to strengthen transparency and restore integrity within the organization to meet the public's expectations.
The parliamentary hearing was held late last month to question Chung Mong-gyu, who resigned as president of the KFA, and Hong Myung-bo, who quit as Korea's head coach following the team's early exit at the FIFA World Cup in June.
Earlier this week, police raided the KFA's offices over allegations of irregularities in the 2024 appointment of Hong.
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