The Korea Football Association's logo reflected on the mirror of the association's headquarters in Jongno District, Seoul. Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoon

The Korea Football Association (KFA) is under pressure as the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism intensifies an audit fueled by the ongoing An Se-young incident and increasing criticism of the appointment process for national team head coach Hong Myung-bo.

Now, with the ministry's audit of the Badminton Korea Association underway, it seems that the KFA's audit will also accelerate.

As of Tuesday, the ministry has completed a preliminary audit of the KFA and initiated a full-scale audit the day before. A team of 12 auditors will spend the next two to three weeks thoroughly examining the KFA's operations, including the selection process for the national team head coach and the transparency of budget expenditures.

Previously, on June 15, the ministry announced its intention to audit the KFA in response to controversies surrounding the procedural legitimacy of Hong Myung-bo's appointment.

The initial investigation revealed issues, leading to a formal audit starting on July 18. This included on-site audits at the KFA's office, culminating in the current full investigation.

It is highly unusual for the government to directly audit individual sports associations, indicating the seriousness with which it views this matter.

In particular, the ministry has signaled a broader reform initiative across various sports associations, using the revelations surrounding the badminton star An Se-young as a catalyst for restructuring sports policies and practices in the post-Olympic period.

Hong Myung-bo, head coach of the national football team, presses his lips together during his inauguration press conference on July 28 at the Korea Football Association in Jongno District, Seoul. Newsis

Dispute over rejection to submit materials

The KFA's cooperation is emerging as the biggest obstacle to the audit. Although the KFA initially pledged to cooperate fully, it has reversed course by refusing to submit some requested documents.

The crux of the dispute lies in differing interpretations of the KFA's designation as a "related public organization."

Since last year, the KFA has been classified as a "related public organization" due to receiving over 1 billion won in state subsidies, thereby making it eligible for an audit.

The KFA, headed by President Chung Mong-kyu, insists that the sports body is not obligated to submit documents from before this designation. Additionally, the KFA is withholding documents related to contracts and sponsorships, citing "confidentiality clauses" and "operational secrets."

A senior KFA official said, "We are a 'related public body,' not a state unit, so the government's audit should focus only on the government grants."

However, the ministry holds a different view. A ministry official said, "Even if the KFA were not a related public body, we could still conduct an audit under our general supervisory authority. The government's requests are not baseless."

If the KFA continues to refuse to submit documents without valid reasons, it could face punitive fines.

The audit's focus on the "use of sponsorship funds" is particularly critical because, while government grants are strictly regulated, there is more potential for mismanagement of self-generated income and sponsorship money.

The ministry official said, "If the KFA transparently uses sponsorship funds to benefit the players and improve performance, it could attract more sponsorships. However, if the funds are misused, global sponsors are unlikely to continue their support. That's why we're focusing on budget transparency."

In addition to the government audit, the KFA is also under scrutiny from the National Assembly.

On the previous day, a forum was held in the National Assembly to discuss reform measures for the KFA. The An Se-young incident is expected to be a topic during the upcoming full session of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee on Aug. 26.

Chung Mong-gyu, president of the Korea Football Association

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by staff of The Korea Times.