South Korea: Football Association admits to providing sexual services to referees

South Korea's Football Association (KFA) has publicly admitted to providing sexual services to foreign referees, issuing a deep apology for past misconduct. In a statement released on its website, the organization acknowledged that "inappropriate actions" and "credit card usage" occurred previously, but insisted that such practices are "absolutely not happening at the present time."

The KFA described its current situation as "desolate" and pledged to take "comprehensive criticism and external allegations to heart" as an opportunity for "thorough renewal." It remains unproven whether these past actions influenced referees to make biased decisions in matches involving the South Korean national team.

This admission is the latest in a series of scandals to plague the KFA. The organization has faced intense political pressure, culminating in a raid on its offices by investigative authorities. The raid is reportedly linked to allegations that the KFA circumvented standard procedures in appointing former national coach Hong Myung-bo, potentially violating internal rules.

South Korea's national team failed to advance past the group stage at the 2026 World Cup, leading to the resignations of both coach Hong and KFA president Chung Mong-gyu. Hong, a former national player, had previously coached the team in the 2014 World Cup, where they were eliminated with only one point. Despite that earlier failure, he was reappointed in July 2024. Authorities are investigating whether KFA officials improperly intervened in Hong's appointment.