According to South Korean media outlet Star News Korea, Park Ji-sung, co-chairman of the Korea Football Association (KFA) Reform Committee, has responded to the recent scandal involving allegations that the KFA systematically provided sexual favors to foreign referees during international competitions in the past.

At a press conference following the sixth meeting of the Reform Committee held in Seoul on the 11th, Park Ji-sung was asked about the referee-related sexual entertainment scandal that has recently caused widespread public outrage.

Park responded:

“This matter does not fall within the scope of the Reform Committee’s responsibilities, so there is not much I can say about it at this stage.”

However, he added:

“There is no denying that we are currently facing an extremely serious situation, and it is difficult to predict what consequences may follow.”

Park Ji-sung then emphasized:

“The impact of this situation is enormous. The entire Korean football community must engage in deep reflection and consider how to rebuild public trust and move forward steadily in the future.”

According to an investigation report on corruption among KFA officials released by South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, along with related media reports, the association was found to have provided sexual entertainment to more than a dozen foreign referees and match officials between March 2011 and March 2012.

The incidents occurred during seven matches, including 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and the final qualifying rounds for the London Olympics.

However, the crisis facing South Korean football extends far beyond this referee scandal.

Park Ji-sung, who has been working to promote reforms within Korean football, also addressed the recently completed process of selecting an interim head coach for the South Korean national team.

“The Reform Committee cannot directly intervene in the appointment of an interim national team coach, but we will provide systematic recommendations to ensure that future selection processes for national team managers are transparent and fair, allowing the best possible coaches to be chosen,” Park said.

Former KFA president Chung Mong-gyu resigned after the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, making the election of a new chairman an urgent priority.

Park Ji-sung revealed:

“The KFA has accepted the Reform Committee’s recommendation to expand the presidential election committee from the previous number of just over 200 members to 20,000 members, while also introducing electronic voting. The association has already begun revising its regulations, and the presidential election will be completed no later than the end of this year.”