SEOUL: South Korea’s under-fire football association has apologised over a series of controversies ranging from accusations of using unfair practices to appoint a coach to allegations that it provided sexual entertainment for foreign referees.
The Korea Football Association (KFA) has been under heavy fire since South Korea crashed out of the World Cup at the group stage, despite high expectations for a “golden generation” captained by Son Heung-min.
Head coach Hong Myung-bo resigned immediately after a shock 1-0 defeat to South Africa sealed his team’s early exit from the showpiece in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
But his departure did little to quell public outrage over the disappointing campaign and added fuel to pre-existing questions about how Hong was hired.
It emerged in local media last week that the KFA had provided foreign referees with sexual entertainment in 2011 and 2012, citing a 2016 government audit that had not previously been made public.
“We sincerely apologise for the deep disappointment and concern caused by the various controversies surrounding the association in the wake of the 2026 World Cup,” the KFA said in a statement posted on its website on Saturday.
Facing mounting criticism, the KFA said it found itself “in a truly deplorable situation”, acknowledging that it had “lost sight of our fundamental role”.
The apology followed a police raid on KFA headquarters as part of an investigation into the appointment of the former defender Hong, 57, who played at the 2002 World Cup on home soil.
Questions had already dogged the KFA over Hong’s appointment in 2024, but scrutiny intensified after the team failed to reach the last 32.
South Korean MPs summoned Hong and former and current KFA officials to a parliamentary hearing on Jul 30, questioning them about the hiring process and Hong’s annual salary.
Then came the allegations of foreign referees being provided with sexual entertainment in 2011 to 2012.
The 2016 government audit, reported by local broadcaster JTBC, found that the KFA had provided “inappropriate hospitality” on eight occasions to foreign referees and officials from the Chinese Football Association.
Social media users have since circulated a list of foreign referees who officiated South Korea’s matches during that time.
The KFA’s apology said many within the association had been “unaware” of the incidents, but did not deny they happened.
“The association wishes to make clear that such improper conduct … is no longer taking place,” it said.
