Seoul: The government announced on Sunday that it plans to request a police investigation into eight sports officials, including Lee Kee-heung, the president of the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee (KSOC), due to suspected misconduct.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the ethics inspection team under the Office for Government Policy Coordination revealed the findings of their investigation, pointing to alleged improper behavior such as misuse of funds and improper hiring practices involving eight KSOC officials. Lee Kee-heung is accused of manipulating job requirements at the Jincheon National Training Center to employ a friend of his children, bypassing an internal report to decrease the applicant’s salary and replacing an official who opposed the hiring plan.
The investigation also discovered that the KSOC allegedly permitted a sports association president to spend approximately 80 million won (US$57,000) on nutritional supplements and sports uniforms for athletes. Testimonies suggest that this individua
l, a long-time associate of Lee, sought a role with Korea’s Paris Olympics organization earlier this year and was subsequently hired.
Further allegations include Lee’s purported recommendation of five acquaintances for positions in Korea’s Paris Olympic delegation, offering them travel incentives that were not previously planned. The inspection team has decided to inform the culture and sports ministry to take necessary actions concerning various violations, including Lee’s inappropriate behavior and misuse of business expenses, involving 11 officials.
The KSOC countered the inspection results on Sunday. “We have been under multiple, simultaneous audits for three months since the Paris Olympics, and there were shortcomings in our response to data submission requests,” it stated. “We request a more thorough reinvestigation of the allegations and promise to fully cooperate with any upcoming investigation,” it added.