The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (hereinafter referred to as the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) said it will use all policy measures until the Korea Football Association (KFA) becomes a “normal organization.”
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced the final results of a specific audit on the Korea Football Association (KFA) at the Seoul Government Complex on Tuesday, detecting a total of 27 cases of illegal and unfair business practices, and demanding corrective and disciplinary action against them. The audit was conducted in a wide range of ways, including appointing a coach of the KFA, pardoning soccer players, executing subsidies and managing leadership qualifications.
The KFA is found to have violated the regulations by omitting the resolution process of the power enhancement committee and the board of directors in the process of appointing Hong Myung-bo and former coach Jurgen Klinsmann. As a result, the ministry requested related parties including Chairman Chung Mong-gyu to impose severe disciplinary measures beyond the suspension of their qualifications.
The KFA caused procedural problems by submitting false business plans and failing to get approval from the culture minister in the process of signing a contract for subsidies and loans for the construction of the Cheonan Football Center. The ministry thus demanded the recovery of subsidies and reprimand of those involved.
Earlier in March 2023, the KFA tried to pardon 100 soccer players, including those who were expelled for match-fixing in violation of the rules of the Korean Sports Council, but withdrew it in three days due to public opposition. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism pointed out that the KFA amnesty rule had to be deleted in accordance with the regulations of the Korea Sports and Fair Commission, but it did not implement it and unfairly exercised the amnesty right without grounds.
In addition, the KFA paid 34 out of 43 part-time executives 2.8 billion won (2.7 million U.S. dollars) in consultation fees for three years in the form of fixed salaries. The ministry pointed out inappropriateness of consultation fees.
According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, KFA, which has been able to issue P-level certificates, the highest grade among leaders recognized by the Asian Football Federation, since 2020, has been found to have undermined fairness by applying inappropriate qualification standards in P-level leaders’ classes, such as passing underachievers or giving them a chance to retake classes by ignoring absenteeism standards. The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism said, “KFA was not familiar with the basic regulations or was handling their work unfairly, even though the operation and issuance of leadership certificates should be fair, transparent and strict.”
The following is Choi Hyun-joon, the inspector general of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
What does “severe disciplinary action beyond suspension of qualification” mean.
-In the self-audit, when demanding disciplinary action, ‘light disciplinary action’ and ‘serious disciplinary action’ are required. Although the Korea Football Association is not an organization of public officials, it has demanded disciplinary action by dividing it into ‘light disciplinary action’ and ‘serious disciplinary action’. There are ‘elimination’, ‘dismissal’, and ‘suspension of qualification’ above the suspension of qualification, and in our judgment, it is a severe disciplinary action by public officials. I think it can be selected from these three disciplinary actions by the KFA Fair Trade Commission.
Among the various issues, the criteria for demanding heavy punishment were.
-The chairmanship of the Korea Football Association is an important position that represents the KFA and handles administrative affairs. Above all, he is responsible for complying with KFA rules and procedures and respecting the board of directors. Nevertheless, as shown in the audit results report, he made unfair instructions or intervened in self-violation of regulations in the process of appointing a coach for the national team.
Amnesty International, which caused a lot of controversy, pushed for amnesty despite the fact that it had been informed of the abolition of the amnesty regulation. This constitutes a reason for disciplinary action under the rules of the Korea Football Association’s Fair Trade Commission, and at least severe disciplinary action beyond suspension of qualification is inevitable.
The Badminton Association also recommended dismissal of the chairman. If the Korea Football Association’s sports fair committee does not take disciplinary action after discussing the disciplinary action as the Fair Trade Commission judges that the disciplinary action is inappropriate, what measures will the ministry take.
-Disciplinary action is not recommended, but required. In the case of the Badminton Association, there is no compulsory means of implementation because it is the result of a post-audit. We are an audit conducted in accordance with the Public Audit Act. There is a difference because it requires disciplinary action based on the audit results.
With the current regulations, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has the authority to demand disciplinary action. Judgment is to be made by the Korea Football Association’s Sports Fair Committee. We expect the Korea Football Association to make a desirable judgment in line with the public’s eye level and public opinion.
If that doesn’t happen, we will use all the policy tools we can use with the people’s wishes until the Football Association is reborn as a “normal organization” capable of making fair and transparent decisions.
What are the policy tools that can be utilized.
-At the level of the auditor’s office, if it is not properly implemented, the implementation audit can be conducted once more. If it has been implemented insufficiently, there is nothing that the audit can do, but there are a number of policy measures for the sports bureau, which is the supervisory department. We plan to do our best until the soccer association can stand up by closely consulting with the sports bureau and collecting public opinion.
What I learned from this audit is that many people love soccer and are disappointed at the Korea Football Association because of the chronic lack of compliance with regulations, procedures and laws, and handling everything in an administrative way in an administrative and expedient manner, the Board of Directors diagnosed that the reason for the arbitrary actions was that it did not play its role in internal control. The audit team is thinking the same.
The results of this audit thought that the trust of the people could be restored only when the chronic ills were corrected based on such diagnostic results. 먹튀검증
The World Cup is coming up, but the coach’s future is.
-The coach candidate was finally recommended by someone who was not authorized to do so. “It is a procedural error. I told them to correct it.” The contract signed by Coach Hong Myung-bo has an option whether to maintain, cancel or change the contract. This is a matter for the Korea Football Association to decide on its own.
Is there any violation of FIFA regulations.
-As I said during an interim briefing, the reason for the audit was not to infringe on the autonomy and independence of the Korea Football Association. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also respects the articles of association of FIFA and the autonomy and independence of KFA. The amnesty was met with national and social difficulties. Regarding the appointment of the national team, many people expressed disappointment with the unfairness and opacity. There was a lot of national and social criticism, so I was grateful as a supervisory department. I don’t think it violates FIFA policy at all.