South Korea FA scandal: ‘sexual services’ allegations rock World Cup hosts

The South Korean Football Association (KFA) has issued a rare public apology after allegations emerged of “sexual services” being provided to officials, escalating a governance crisis that threatens to overshadow the country’s preparations for the 2026 World Cup.

KFA bows to pressure as scandal deepens

The KFA’s apology followed mounting scrutiny over claims that female employees at the association were pressured to provide sexual services to visiting officials and coaches. The allegations first surfaced in Hankyoreh and were later amplified by JoongAng Ilbo, two of South Korea’s most widely circulated newspapers, before gaining broader traction in broadcast media. The allegations have prompted calls for an independent investigation. While the KFA did not specify the nature of the services in its statement, the phrasing has drawn immediate condemnation from advocacy groups and political figures in South Korea.

Critics argue the scandal exposes systemic failures in the KFA’s internal oversight, raising questions about how such conduct could persist within an organisation entrusted with overseeing the national team and domestic leagues. The apology, delivered by KFA president Hwang Sun-hong during a televised press conference on 12 March 2025, marks one of the most serious crises in the association’s modern history and comes at a precarious time as South Korea prepares to co-host the 2026 tournament.

World Cup preparations face fresh uncertainty

The timing of the scandal could not be worse for South Korea, which is set to co-host the 2026 World Cup alongside the United States and Canada. The tournament’s organising committee has yet to comment publicly, but the allegations risk overshadowing the on-field preparations of the national team, which is already under pressure to deliver strong performances on home soil. South Korea’s men’s team has struggled for consistency in recent years, with a 1-1 draw against Iraq in their most recent World Cup qualifier in November 2024 highlighting their uneven form. The distraction of this scandal could further destabilise the squad’s rhythm ahead of qualifiers, particularly as key players like Son Heung-min navigate club commitments at Tottenham Hotspur.

Political figures have seized on the controversy. Opposition lawmaker Sim Sang-jung, co-leader of the Justice Party, has demanded the resignation of Hwang Sun-hong, while women’s rights groups such as Korea Women’s Development Institute have organised protests outside the KFA’s headquarters in Seoul. The backlash has intensified calls for FIFA to intervene, with activists including Kim Ji-young, a spokesperson for the Korean Sexual Violence Relief Center, urging the global governing body to impose sanctions if the KFA fails to address the allegations transparently.

The scandal also risks damaging South Korea’s reputation as a host nation, just months after the country hosted the FIFA Club World Cup in December 2024. That tournament passed without major incident, but the current allegations strike at the heart of FIFA’s own ethics codes, which prohibit any form of exploitation within football’s administrative structures. FIFA’s statutes, specifically Article 3.1 of the FIFA Code of Ethics, explicitly prohibit “any abuse of a position of power or influence to obtain an advantage or preferential treatment.”

FIFA’s response remains unclear

FIFA has yet to issue a formal statement on the allegations, though the organisation has previously emphasised its commitment to “zero tolerance” for misconduct in member associations. The KFA’s apology suggests an internal review is underway, but the lack of detail has done little to quell public anger. The association has promised to cooperate with any investigations, yet the opacity of its initial response has only fuelled scepticism. In a statement released on 13 March 2025, the KFA acknowledged “inappropriate behaviour” but did not elaborate on the scope of the alleged misconduct or the identities of those involved.

This is not the first time football governance in South Korea has faced scrutiny. In 2022, former KFA president Chung Mong-joon resigned amid corruption allegations linked to the bidding process for the 2026 World Cup. While those cases centred on financial irregularities, the current scandal cuts deeper, implicating personal conduct and institutional culture. The KFA’s handling of the crisis will be scrutinised not only by domestic audiences but also by FIFA, which has increasingly tied hosting rights to stringent ethical standards. In December 2023, FIFA updated its bidding regulations to include mandatory human rights risk assessments for host nations, a direct response to past governance failures.

South Korea’s footballing future now hinges on whether the KFA can restore trust—or whether the scandal will force external intervention. With the 2026 World Cup just two years away, the stakes could not be higher.

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