[Joint Statement] One Year Since the Filing of Charges Over “Athlete Replacement” and “Unfair Rebates”: Why Has Legal Accountability Still Been Delayed? President Yoo Seung-min of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee Must Resign Immediately, and the Police Must Begin a Full Investigation Without Further Delay
It has already been one year since shocking allegations of corruption were revealed to athletes and the public, who had hoped for meaningful change and reform within the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC). According to the investigation conducted by the Sports Ethics Center under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, it was found that Yoo Seung-min, President of the KSOC, had, during his previous tenure as President of the Korea Table Tennis Association, replaced a national team athlete through an unfair process that ignored established procedures. The investigation also revealed that he had improperly provided hundreds of millions of Korean won in sponsorship incentives (rebates) to certain executives and acquaintances.
More than one year has passed since civil society organizations filed a formal complaint against President Yoo Seung-min, yet legal accountability remains completely stalled. Why has judicial justice become so powerless in the face of such a powerful figure in the sports community? The police’s prolonged and ineffective investigation amounts to nothing less than enabling a leader accused of serious misconduct to avoid accountability while deceiving athletes and the public. The police must stop delaying action and immediately begin a thorough investigation, including necessary compulsory measures, and ensure strict enforcement of the law.
What is even more alarming is President Yoo’s continued lack of ethical responsibility and his inadequate response as a public figure. Recently, the sports community was deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic case of a middle school boxer who suffered a serious brain injury and fell into a coma after a match. This was a critical moment when the entire sports community should have been focused on preventing similar tragedies and establishing stronger safety measures. In this context, President Yoo’s inappropriate conduct—raising concerns over his prioritization of personal matters, including controversy surrounding arrangements related to his son—has raised serious questions about whether he possesses even the minimum level of public responsibility and respect for others expected of a leader.
Despite the Sports Ethics Center’s clear recommendations for disciplinary action and its referral of the case for legal review, President Yoo has continued to rely on excuses such as claiming that there was “no intention of wrongdoing” and that the organization was not operated in a “shameful” manner. Furthermore, by taking advantage of the sports community’s long-standing culture of protecting its own members, he attempted to avoid responsibility through a form of “self-disciplinary action” that shifted blame onto only a few staff members.
President Yoo Seung-min must not hide behind the image of a young and innovative leader while damaging the reputation of athletes and the sports community. A person who has lost the basic responsibilities of leadership, moral accountability, and public trust necessary to lead a national sports organization is not qualified to represent Korean sport. Therefore, we strongly demand the following:
1. The police and judicial authorities must reflect on their failure to act for more than one year after the complaint was filed, immediately launch a full investigation, and ensure that justice is served regarding President Yoo Seung-min.
2. President Yoo Seung-min of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, who was criticized for focusing on personal matters during the national tragedy involving a middle school boxer, must sincerely apologize to the public and the sports community and resign immediately.
3. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the government must fundamentally reform monitoring systems and disciplinary procedures within sports organizations so that individuals accused of misconduct cannot evade responsibility through “self-disciplinary measures” and prolonged delays.
18 May 2026
Civic Network for Justice in Sport, Cultural Action, Sports and Human Rights Institute
[Joint Statement] One Year Since the Filing of Charges Over “Athlete Replacement” and “Unfair Rebates”: Why Has Legal Accountability Still Been Delayed? President Yoo Seung-min of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee Must Resign Immediately, and the Police Must Begin a Full Investigation Without Further Delay
It has already been one year since shocking allegations of corruption were revealed to athletes and the public, who had hoped for meaningful change and reform within the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC). According to the investigation conducted by the Sports Ethics Center under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, it was found that Yoo Seung-min, President of the KSOC, had, during his previous tenure as President of the Korea Table Tennis Association, replaced a national team athlete through an unfair process that ignored established procedures. The investigation also revealed that he had improperly provided hundreds of millions of Korean won in sponsorship incentives (rebates) to certain executives and acquaintances.
More than one year has passed since civil society organizations filed a formal complaint against President Yoo Seung-min, yet legal accountability remains completely stalled. Why has judicial justice become so powerless in the face of such a powerful figure in the sports community? The police’s prolonged and ineffective investigation amounts to nothing less than enabling a leader accused of serious misconduct to avoid accountability while deceiving athletes and the public. The police must stop delaying action and immediately begin a thorough investigation, including necessary compulsory measures, and ensure strict enforcement of the law.
What is even more alarming is President Yoo’s continued lack of ethical responsibility and his inadequate response as a public figure. Recently, the sports community was deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic case of a middle school boxer who suffered a serious brain injury and fell into a coma after a match. This was a critical moment when the entire sports community should have been focused on preventing similar tragedies and establishing stronger safety measures. In this context, President Yoo’s inappropriate conduct—raising concerns over his prioritization of personal matters, including controversy surrounding arrangements related to his son—has raised serious questions about whether he possesses even the minimum level of public responsibility and respect for others expected of a leader.
Despite the Sports Ethics Center’s clear recommendations for disciplinary action and its referral of the case for legal review, President Yoo has continued to rely on excuses such as claiming that there was “no intention of wrongdoing” and that the organization was not operated in a “shameful” manner. Furthermore, by taking advantage of the sports community’s long-standing culture of protecting its own members, he attempted to avoid responsibility through a form of “self-disciplinary action” that shifted blame onto only a few staff members.
President Yoo Seung-min must not hide behind the image of a young and innovative leader while damaging the reputation of athletes and the sports community. A person who has lost the basic responsibilities of leadership, moral accountability, and public trust necessary to lead a national sports organization is not qualified to represent Korean sport. Therefore, we strongly demand the following:
1. The police and judicial authorities must reflect on their failure to act for more than one year after the complaint was filed, immediately launch a full investigation, and ensure that justice is served regarding President Yoo Seung-min.
2. President Yoo Seung-min of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, who was criticized for focusing on personal matters during the national tragedy involving a middle school boxer, must sincerely apologize to the public and the sports community and resign immediately.
3. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the government must fundamentally reform monitoring systems and disciplinary procedures within sports organizations so that individuals accused of misconduct cannot evade responsibility through “self-disciplinary measures” and prolonged delays.
18 May 2026
Civic Network for Justice in Sport, Cultural Action, Sports and Human Rights Institute