South Korea’s football governing body has apologised after a previously unpublished government audit alleged that association funds were used to provide sexual entertainment for foreign referees and football officials during international matches more than a decade ago.
The controversy centres on a 2016 audit by South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which found that the Korea Football Association, KFA, used corporate credit cards to pay for sexual entertainment at massage parlours and other adult establishments between 2011 and 2012. The matches involved included qualifiers for the 2012 London Olympics and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
According to the audit, about a dozen referees and match coordinators connected to seven international fixtures received such hospitality. Officials cited in the report were from Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Bahrain and Uzbekistan. South Korea recorded five wins and two draws in the seven matches, although there is no evidence in the report establishing that the hospitality influenced match results or refereeing decisions.
The allegations resurfaced after South Korean broadcaster JTBC obtained details of the old audit, bringing fresh scrutiny to the KFA at a time when the association is already facing questions over governance and transparency
The audit found that nearly 5.6 million won, roughly $4,000, was spent on what investigators characterised as sexual entertainment during the period. Some expenses were allegedly disguised in internal records as payments for meals, drinks or ordinary massages.
One incident involved four referees who officiated South Korea’s Olympic qualifier against Oman in September 2011. According to the findings, the officials were taken to a massage establishment after the match, with the expenses later reportedly recorded differently in association accounts.
The KFA issued a public apology on Saturday, saying it regretted the controversy and promising reforms aimed at restoring public confidence. The association said inappropriate use of corporate cards of the type described in the audit no longer occurs and pledged greater transparency in its operations.
South Korean police are also considering whether the allegations warrant a fresh investigation. An official with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said authorities would review the matter, although investigators must first determine whether applicable statutes of limitation prevent prosecution.
The scandal comes amid wider scrutiny of the KFA. Police recently raided association offices as part of a separate investigation into alleged irregularities surrounding the 2024 appointment of former national team coach Hong Myung-bo. The inquiry is examining whether senior officials improperly interfered in the recruitment process.
