"Shattering Korea's Image": KFA Apologizes Amid National Humiliation as Japan Gets Pulled In

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As allegations that foreign referees were provided with sexual entertainment in the past spread widely, the Korea Football Association issued an apology and bowed its head. With major overseas media outlets spotlighting the latest scandal, the reputation of South Korean football has plummeted.

Reporter Lee Jeong-Chan.

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Following a parliamentary hearing and police raids investigating the appointment process of former national team coach Hong Myung-bo, news broke that "sexual entertainment" was provided to foreign referees and supervisors during national team matches held domestically in 2011 and 2012. As trust in South Korean football has been shaken beyond control, the Korea Football Association bowed its head once again.

In an apology statement, the association said, "We have lost our inherent function to bring joy and excitement, leaving us in a truly miserable situation," adding, "We feel extremely apologetic."

However, regarding the past misconduct controversies, it added, "Such inappropriate behavior is absolutely not occurring at present," and expressed hope that "the achievements and efforts made by our national team players thus far will not be misunderstood."

Public opinion has plummeted to its worst point, prompting the association to release a statement over the weekend in a rare move.

Major European media outlets in the UK, France, and Germany have highlighted the issue, bringing international embarrassment. Japan, in particular, where its referees were pointed out as having received the entertainment, is monitoring the situation even more sensitively, with reports suggesting "the Japan Football Association may need to provide an explanation."

Amid a flood of criticism that it is "an incident that tarnished the nation's image," the association pledged to "deeply take to heart the criticisms and reprimands and use them as an opportunity for reform." However, the reputation of South Korean football—once boasting its status as an Asian football powerhouse and the legacy of its run to the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup—is in a free fall.

(Video Editing: Park Ki-duk, Design: Kim Ye-ji)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.