KFA Apologizes for Sexually Enticing Referees in 2011-2012 Scandal

The Korea Football Association issued a formal apology Saturday over allegations it provided sexual entertainment to foreign referees during international matches in 2011 and 2012 — payments made using corporate credit cards.

The apology is the latest development in a cascading crisis that has also seen police raid KFA offices and two top officials resign following South Korea’s disappointing 2026 World Cup group-stage exit.

A 2016 government audit showed 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 that hosted international matches between March 2011 and March 2012.

Local broadcaster JTBC reported the allegations Thursday, citing a 2016 Culture Ministry audit. The revelations have added fresh fuel to a governance fire that was already consuming the organization.

Apology and Acknowledgment of Lost Trust

In its formal statement Saturday, the KFA apologized “to football fans and officials for the disappointment and concern caused by the various issues and controversies surrounding the association since the 2026 FIFA World Cup.”

The organization acknowledged that “the KFA, which should be bringing joy and ecstasy to fans through fierce efforts and passion toward scoring goals and the fair sportsmanship that blooms in the process, has recently lost its core function and is literally in a disastrous situation.”

“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. 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,” the KFA statement read.

The association stressed that such improper conduct is absolutely not occurring at the KFA today — a defensive posture that underscores just how far the organization’s reputation has fallen.

Widening Crisis Beyond the Audits

The turmoil deepened Thursday when police raided KFA offices for the first time as part of an investigation into allegations that former KFA President Chung Mong-gyu and other senior officials improperly intervened in the 2024 appointment of Hong Myung-bo as head coach.

Police raided the KFA’s offices in Ipjang-myeon, Seobuk-gu, Cheonan, over allegations of irregularities in that appointment.

Both Chung and Hong resigned following a National Assembly hearing on July 30 that examined the contentious appointments of former national team coaches Hong Myung-bo and Jurgen Klinsmann, and after South Korea’s early exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in June.

The parliamentary hearing was held to question Chung and Hong directly — a level of legislative scrutiny rare for a sports governing body in South Korea.

Reforms and the Players Caught in the Middle

The KFA expressed concern that the controversies could overshadow the achievements of South Korean national team players.

“We sincerely hope that this controversy will not cast doubt on or diminish the hard-earned achievements and efforts of our national team players, who have worn the South Korean flag on their chests and represented South Korean football,” the statement said.

The association pledged sweeping reforms, including expanding the electorate for the KFA presidential election, and said it would “swiftly implement policy changes… to strengthen transparency and restore integrity within the organization to meet the public’s expectations.”

“Every member of the association will take the criticism directed at us from all quarters deeply to heart and use it as an opportunity for sweeping reform,” the KFA said.

Whether those reforms will be enough to salvage the KFA’s credibility — or restore the focus to the pitch, where the World Cup exit still stings — remains an open question.

For now, the association finds itself apologizing not only for a lost tournament, but for behavior that, by its own admission, betrayed the very values of fair play it is meant to uphold.

Sources

• Co
• Koreaherald