During the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup, representatives from taxpayer-funded K-League clubs who traveled to the resort city of Cancun, Mexico, have been reported to the police by civic groups.
On the morning of August 4, at a press conference held at the National Assembly's communication hall, Kim Jae-won, a member of the National Assembly from the Justice Party, announced that nine representatives from local soccer clubs were reported to the National Police Agency for allegations of breach of duty, embezzlement, and violations of local subsidy management laws.
The individuals reported include Kwon Il, general manager of Gimpo FC; Kim Tae-joo, general manager of Gangwon FC; Lee Heung-sil, CEO of Gyeongnam FC; Jang Young-bok, general manager of Daegu FC; Kim Seong-nam, general manager of Bucheon FC; Jang Won-jae, CEO of Seongnam FC; Kim Jeong-taek, general manager of Ansan Greeners; Lee Woo-hyung, general manager of FC Anyang; and Joo Kwon-do, CEO of Incheon United.
This controversy arose from the K-League's '2026 K-League Academy-CEO Course' held from June 18 to 26. According to civic groups, a total of 25 individuals, including K-League executives and representatives from 21 clubs, traveled to Mexico for the World Cup. The total cost of the trip, shared equally between the league and the clubs, amounted to approximately 710 million won.
The official itinerary provided to the clubs initially included attending three group stage matches of the Korean national soccer team; however, the actual schedule included a two-night stay in Cancun, a popular tourist destination. Participants reportedly utilized their free time in the afternoons after morning seminars for sightseeing at historical sites. The Cancun stay was not mentioned in the official documents distributed beforehand.
Particularly controversial was the use of expensive business class tickets by representatives of taxpayer-funded clubs. Despite prior notifications from the league indicating that choosing economy class could save about 6 million won, the nine reported representatives opted for business class tickets costing 15,924,000 won each, charged to club budgets. The difference from the economy class fare of 9,995,000 won amounted to an additional 5,929,000 won per person, totaling over 53 million won in extra expenses for these nine individuals.
In contrast, Kim Jin-hyung, general manager of Yongin FC, and the secretary general of Suwon FC, who was not eligible for business class under travel regulations, opted for economy class, highlighting a stark contrast in budget adherence. Civic groups pointed out that it was entirely possible to execute budget expenditures in compliance with regulations.
The civic groups have requested a thorough investigation by the police into the travel expense regulations of each club, the sources of funding (contributions and subsidies), the circumstances surrounding the Cancun itinerary through the event management travel agency and the league, and the recovery of improperly spent funds.
Additionally, they are considering filing a request for a resident audit with the relevant local governments, separate from the criminal complaint.
Earlier, on July 30, during a National Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee hearing on the Korea Football Association, Kim Jae-won first raised the issue, stating, "While there is a shortage of funds for players and youth development, the club representatives did not hesitate to spend taxpayer money on business class tickets and a stay in Cancun. This is not merely a moral hazard but a serious matter of wasting public resources for private gain."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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