'We Are Deeply Sorry': Korea Football Association Apologises Over 'Sexual Bribery' as Police Weigh Massage Parlour Probe

The Korea Football Association allegedly used corporate funds to pay for massage parlour visits for foreign referees on eight occasions between 2011 and 2012, South Korean audit records show, as police now weigh possible prostitution charges and the governing body issues a public apology over 'sexual bribery' claims.

Acknowledging the escalating controversy, the Korea Football Association leadership released a statement on Saturday expressing deep regret over the allegations, which centre on corporate funds reportedly spent on adult entertainment for match officials between March 2011 and March 2012.

Police Weigh Criminal Charges Over Referee 'Hospitality'

The 2016 government audit was brought back into the public eye by a local broadcaster on 6 August. According to Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism documents, the association used corporate credit cards on eight separate occasions to pay for massage parlour visits for roughly ten foreign referees and match commissioners.

The matches in question included three World Cup and Olympic qualifiers alongside four friendlies. South Korea secured a run of five wins and two draws during those fixtures.

There has been speculation regarding whether the off-pitch hospitality influenced the match results, though South Korean officials strictly deny these claims.

Authorities are now evaluating their next legal steps amid growing public attention. An official at the Seoul Metropolitan Agency confirmed during a Monday press briefing that investigators are reviewing the possibility of pursuing prostitution charges against those involved in the decade-old hospitality arrangements.

The path to prosecution is complicated by time. Under South Korean law, many offences carry a 15-year statute of limitations. Police must determine if these specific incidents fall within the prosecutable timeframe before proceeding with a full inquiry. A previous criminal investigation into the matter was closed due to insufficient evidence.

Japanese Referees Draw Cross-Border Scrutiny

The controversy has also prompted responses from football authorities in Japan. The Japan Football Association confirmed on Sunday that it had opened an internal investigation into four Japanese referees allegedly linked to the South Korean fixtures.

Japanese outlets, including Kyodo News, reported that the governing body plans to disclose its findings once the inquiry concludes. Media in Tokyo have published the identities of two referees believed to have officiated the matches highlighted in the audit.

One currently serves as a referee manager overseeing J-League officials, while the other headed an all-Japanese crew during a 2012 World Cup qualifier against Kuwait. Some Japanese commentators have cautioned that merely officiating a match does not confirm an individual referee personally accepted entertainment.

KFA Under Pressure on Multiple Fronts

This scandal coincides with another challenging period for the South Korean football administration. The association is already navigating a separate police investigation regarding the controversial 2024 appointment of former head coach Hong Myung-bo.

Investigators raided the headquarters last Thursday to seize documents related to potential obstruction during the hiring process. Hong recently stepped down following the national team being eliminated from the World Cup group stages.

Addressing the pressure, the football governing body pledged structural changes. 'We are deeply sorry for the disappointment and concern caused by the various issues and controversies surrounding the association,' the leadership said in its weekend statement, adding that it does not condone past misconduct and aims to restore complete institutional transparency.

Despite the domestic uproar, international sanctions remain highly unlikely. FIFA ethics rules generally restrict disciplinary action to a five to ten-year window. Because the alleged misconduct occurred over a decade ago and most of the named referees have since retired, the global governing body is not expected to intervene.