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Referee Yuichi Nishimura of Japan runs during the last referee training camp before the 2014 World Cup at the Zico Football Center in Rio de Janeiro on June 6, 2014. Photo by Reuters |
According to Kyodo Newsthe JFA wants to publicly release the findings once the investigation is complete.
Previously on Aug. 6, broadcaster JTBC revealed conclusions from a 2016 government audit report compiled by South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST), detailed misconduct by the KFA that had not previously been made public.
The audit found that the KFA had organized inappropriate hospitality on at least seven occasions for 10 foreign referees and referee supervisors officiating matches featuring the South Korea national team, including three in World Cup and Olympic qualifiers, alongside four international friendlies.
The incident occurred between March 2011 and March 2012, which falls under the tenure of former KFA President Cho Chung-yun.
Payments were made using official KFA credit cards at various massage parlors in South Korea. The costs for these services ranged from several hundred thousand to over one million won (US$700) per visit.
One of the Japanese referees named in the reports is Yuichi Nishimura. He officiated the match where South Korea defeated Kuwait 2-0 in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Feb. 29, 2012.
According to records, in the early hours of that same day, a KFA credit card was used to pay 500,000 won at a massage parlor in Seoul’s upscale Gangnam District. A staff member from the KFA’s referee department told investigators that the fee charged by the massage parlor included the cost of prostitution.
This person also claimed that foreign referees would frequently make these requests while at the airport or their hotels, prompting the KFA to arrange the explicit hospitality.
According to Yonhapthis scandal is a case of “serious sexual bribery” involving referees.
However, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has not moved to criminally reinvestigate the specific bribery matter, primarily because the statute of limitations has expired.
Statutes of limitations exceeding 15 years generally apply only to the most serious crimes.
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Referee Yuichi Nishimura (R) shows a yellow card to Fahed Al Ebrahim during South Korea’s 2-0 victory over Kuwait in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Feb. 29, 2012. Photo by AFP |
South Korean police are focusing their investigation on the KFA’s controversial appointment process for former national team head coach Hong Myung-bo.
Hong had recently faced public criticism after South Korea were eliminated in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, which ultimately led to his resignation.
Former KFA president Chung Mong-gyu and former Technical Director Lee Im-saeng are also accused of abusing their positions to influence the head coach appointment process. The police raided the KFA headquarters in Seoul on Aug. 6 and seized former president Chung’s mobile phone, along with several other items for the investigation.
Previously, Chung, Lee and Hong appeared before the South Korean National Assembly to provide explanations for the appointment process. They denied all allegations regarding breach of trust and abuse of power.
The KFA has been facing an ongoing crisis from former president Chung’s tenure. Notable incidents include the pardon of players involved in match-fixing. This was followed by the national team’s disappointing elimination in the 2023 Asian Cup semifinals under German coach Jurgen Klinsmann, with a physical altercation between the team’s two biggest stars, Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in.
On Aug. 8, the KFA issued a formal statement apologizing for the ongoing turmoil and pledged to cooperate closely with authorities to restore its operation to stability as soon as possible.