• South Korean football association KFA apologized for past allegations of providing sexual services to referees.
• Reports indicate this misconduct occurred during 2011 and 2012 for international matches.
• Investigations have also focused on recent controversies involving former national team coach Hong Myung-bo.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) of South Korea has come under fire after allegations surfaced that it provided “sexual services” to foreign referees during their stay for matches in 2011 and 2012. A report by South Korean broadcaster JTBC detailed that such services were offered on seven occasions, as part of an apparent attempt to influence officiating during important qualifying matches for the 2014 World Cup and the 2012 London Olympics, according to SCMP.

In response to the scandal, the KFA publicly apologized, stating, “We deeply apologise for causing concern over various issues involving the association... that even many within the organization were unaware of.” The organization's statement was made following a parliamentary hearing and a police raid related to the allegations, highlighting the seriousness of the situation, as reported by both SCMP and Al Jazeera.

The allegations stemmed from a 2016 audit conducted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which identified illicit entertainment provided to referees, including trips to massage parlours that were described as having costs associated with sexual services. The KFA emphasized that no such conduct is currently occurring within the organization, underscoring its commitment to ethical standards, according to Reuters.

This scandal emerged alongside ongoing scrutiny over the KFA's involvement in the appointment of former national team coach Hong Myung-bo. Hong's return to the coaching role in 2024 has faced criticism, particularly after the KFA notably skipped an extensive search involving foreign candidates, which resulted in a brief discussion that concluded with his selection. The controversy has been reignited following South Korea's disappointing exit from the recent World Cup, with police investigations probing the circumstances surrounding his appointment, as per reports by SCMP, Al Jazeera, and Reuters.