Korea Football Association apologizes for sexual entertainment scandal
The Korea Football Association (KFA) has issued a formal apology following revelations that it provided sexual entertainment to foreign referees and officials between 2011 and 2012. The allegations, which surfaced through a previously unpublished 2016 government audit, suggest that the KFA used corporate credit cards to pay for services at massage parlors in Seoul and Ulsan during seven international matches, including World Cup and Olympic qualifiers.
The scandal has drawn international attention, particularly in Japan. The Japan Football Association (JFA) has launched an internal investigation into four Japanese referees who officiated a 2012 World Cup Asian third qualifying match between South Korea and Kuwait, as two of them are alleged to have received sexual services.
These developments occur amid heightened scrutiny of the KFA's leadership. South Korean police recently raided KFA headquarters as part of an ongoing investigation into the controversial appointment of former national team coach Hong Myung-bo. While the KFA stated that many current members were unaware of the decade-old incidents, the association has pledged sweeping reforms to ensure transparency and prevent future misconduct.
Entities
FIFA · Hong Myung-bo · JTBC · Japan Football Association · Korea Football Association · Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism · Seoul · Son Heung-min
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 6 SOURCES] Four Japanese referees officiated a 2012 World Cup Asian third qualifying match between South Korea and Kuwait, where two reportedly received sexual entertainment. www.taichimaster.jp · biz.heraldcorp.com · www.seoul.co.kr · www.hani.co.kr · kenh14.vn · +1 more
- [● 9 SOURCES] The Korea Football Association provided sexual entertainment to foreign referees and officials between 2011 and 2012. www.taichimaster.jp · biz.heraldcorp.com · www.seoul.co.kr · news.tuoitre.vn · www.europesays.com · +4 more
- [● 5 SOURCES] Police raided KFA headquarters to investigate the hiring process of former head coach Hong Myung-bo. news.tuoitre.vn · www.europesays.com · athletistic.com · www.koreaherald.com · japantoday.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The JFA has launched an internal investigation into the four Japanese referees involved in the 2012 match. www.taichimaster.jp · biz.heraldcorp.com · www.seoul.co.kr · www.hani.co.kr
- [● 7 SOURCES] The KFA used its corporate card to pay for sexual services at massage parlors in Seoul and Ulsan. www.taichimaster.jp · www.seoul.co.kr · athletistic.com · www.koreaherald.com · japantoday.com · +2 more
- [● 5 SOURCES] The KFA issued a formal apology regarding the controversies, acknowledging a 'deplorable situation'. news.tuoitre.vn · www.europesays.com · athletistic.com · www.koreaherald.com · japantoday.com
- [DISPUTED] The KFA provided improper hospitality on eight occasions to foreign referees and officials from the Chinese Football Association. news.tuoitre.vn · www.europesays.com · japantoday.com · athletistic.com
- [● 9 SOURCES] A 2016 government audit documented the misconduct but was not made public for several years. www.taichimaster.jp · www.seoul.co.kr · www.europesays.com · athletistic.com · www.koreaherald.com · +4 more
- [● 4 SOURCES] Police raided the Korea Football Association headquarters as part of an investigation into the appointment of former coach Hong Myung-bo. www.europesays.com · www.imaeil.com · athletistic.com · www.koreaherald.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] The Japan Football Association has launched an internal investigation into four Japanese referees allegedly involved in the 2012 match. kenh14.vn · tuoitre.vn · www.hani.co.kr · www.koreaherald.com · www.seoul.co.kr