Background of the Controversy
A controversy has been ongoing for over a year concerning the incentives provided to donors during Yoo Seung Min’s tenure as chairman of the Korea Table Tennis Association. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s financial crime investigation team is currently looking into Yoo on charges of professional misconduct. This comes after Cho Eun-hee, a member of the People’s Power party, raised the issue during a parliamentary audit of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee.
The controversy began when civic groups such as Sports Citizens’ Solidarity and Cultural Solidarity filed a complaint with the police in July, alleging that Yoo illegally received donation incentives while leading the Korea Table Tennis Association. When questioned about the police investigation at the National Assembly, Yoo stated, “We have not been investigated yet.” News of the police investigation has been circulating ahead of the comprehensive audit of the committee on the 29th.
Allegations and Claims
The allegations against Yoo suggest that he caused property damage to the association by paying incentives in violation of regulations. The incentive system, which paid 10% of the funds to boost donations, was reportedly established without proper approval. In particular, it is known that Yoo’s younger brother, A, received approximately 200 million won in incentives. The police are expected to investigate whether Yoo took these incentives under a borrowed name.
In April, the Sports Ethics Center, under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, called for disciplinary action against former and current executives and employees. They determined that the Korea Table Tennis Association’s practice of paying 10% of the funds violated the rules of sports organizations, which prohibit executives from receiving such payments. The Table Tennis Association ordered Yoo to be held responsible for negligence in management and supervision.
Yoo’s Response and Apology
In response to the issue, which was raised by his opponent during the election for the chairman of the Korea Sports Council, Yoo held an emergency press conference on the 13th, the day before the presidential election. He claimed, “Although the opposing candidates raised moral issues, they did not receive a single penny as an incentive.” He added that incentives were introduced at the suggestion of Secretary-General Jeong Hae-cheon to attract donations, and they were paid through the Incentive Committee. Yoo emphasized that he did not use the corporate card of the Korea Table Tennis Association or the expenses of the association during his term in office.
At a meeting with the chairman of the sports organization in April, after notifying the Sports Ethics Center of disciplinary recommendations, Yoo said, “I am sorry and sorry to tell you the unfavorable part.” He publicly apologized for failing to properly take care of the regulations but also expressed the practical difficulty of self-reliance of sports organizations. “I’ve been the head of the table tennis association for five years, and the finances of the organizations are not easy. The chairman should sell his own products to attract sponsorships. It is time to look back on the relevant regulations in order to develop the stock.”
Public Reaction and Ongoing Investigation
Yoo also addressed the issue during a meeting with the chairman of the sports organization, stating, “The issue stems from a lack of understanding and mistakes in some administrative procedures, and there was no intention in the process. Of course, the lack of understanding and mistakes are also my fault as a leader.” He added, “I worked like a cow while serving as a table tennis association for the past five years. I worked day and night with a great sense of responsibility to represent table tennis players without using any association’s assets without salaries, vehicles, public expenses, or even an office space of the association.”
Kim Hyun-soo, executive chairman of the Sports Citizens’ Coalition, who filed a complaint against Yoo, announced the news of the police investigation on his SNS, saying, “There is something that many people around me always say when they encourage the Sports Citizens’ Coalition. ‘The sports community feels that the solidarity of civil society is so weak that the surveillance system is too poor.’ This time, the Citizens’ Solidarity for Physical Education has done its job.”
While reference persons such as A are known to have already been investigated by the police, Yoo said, “I haven’t received a single penny regarding incentives. I can say it confidently. I will faithfully respond to the police investigation, and I will wait and see the results. We hope that the results of the investigation will come out as soon as possible.”
The controversy over incentives, which had been hot throughout the presidential election of the Korea Table Tennis Association and the Korea Sports Association last year, has continued for more than a year since Yoo took office. The sports community responded that it was rather successful. With the running population exceeding 10 million and next year’s Olympics, World Cup, and Asian Games imminent, Chairman Yoo of the ‘Young Leader’ also had better clear up suspicions to establish strong leadership early in his term. The truth is likely to be revealed through a police investigation.