[Anchor]

The head of Yeoju FC, a professional citizen football club, is continuing to run for a city council seat despite having a criminal record for violence. Critics in the football community point out that this club head is violating rules on political neutrality and instead using the club as a stepping stone for his political ambitions.

Reporter Hong Seok-jun has the story.

[Reporter]

This is the election bulletin of a Yeoju City Council candidate during the 2022 local elections.

The title "Current" head of Yeoju FC is listed under career experience.

Club Head A, who lost the election at the time, registered as a preliminary candidate for the city council again this year to make a second bid. However, after his multiple criminal records, including violence, came to light, he failed to receive a nomination and still remains as the head of Yeoju FC.

Yeoju FC, a club in the third-tier league, is a citizen football club operated with subsidies received from Yeoju City and Gyeonggi Province. Critics point out that Club Head A violated the Korea Football Association statutes, which mandate "political neutrality," and league operation regulations that prohibit political activities by club personnel.

The Korea Football Association stated, "There appears to be potential for regulatory violations," adding, "We will review referring the matter to the Fair Play Committee after monitoring the disciplinary actions taken by the local sports community."

Previously, Yeoju FC faced suspicions of "embezzling subsidies by inflating meal expenses" following SBS reports, and is currently undergoing an audit by Gyeonggi Province regarding its overall operations.

[Choi Min-hee / National Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee Member (Democratic Party of Korea): This is an action that inevitably invites suspicions of using a citizen football club funded by citizens' taxes as a personal political stepping stone. Had he been elected, it would have been a classic conflict of interest where the recipient of subsidies and the reviewer of them become the same person.]

Club Head A explained to SBS, "I maintained political neutrality and have never violated the regulations."

(Video filming: Hwang In-seok and Yang Du-won | Video editing: Park Gi-deok | Design: Yang Gi-tae)