2011 South Korean football match-fixing scandal

The 2011 South Korean football match-fixing scandal was a large-scale match-fixing scandal, which occurred in K League and Korean League Cup since 2010 and was revealed in 2011. A total of 57 footballers were charged with the scandal and 55 players among them were punished.

Background

The match-fixing scandals in South Korean football already began between amateur players in 2008. K3 League club Seoul Pabal was dissolved after a significant number of its players were convicted of dealing with a Chinese betting site,[1] and four Korea National League players were also prosecuted for the same reason around the same time.[2]

The inception of this scandal was the alleged suicide of Incheon United player Yoon Ki-won on 6 May 2011.[3] His suicide was amplified with the match-fixing allegations through media and football fans.[4] The press heard from staffs of K League clubs that brokers and gangsters approached to players in the previous year.[5]

After an arrest warrant was issued for two football players on 25 May by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office of the Republic of Korea, the K League's match-fixing case began to surface.[6] The prosecutors arrested two brokers and were investigating ten players, including former national team member Kim Dong-hyun.[6]

First investigation

The reports of the arrests of two footballers by the South Korean media led to the exposure of the initial match-fixing scandals in the K League. The arrested footballers were Park Sang-wook of Daejeon Citizen and Sung Kyung-mo of Gwangju FC.[6]

On 27 May, four players of Daejeon Citizen were also arrested and more extensive investigations were held into match-fixing.[7]

On 30 May, former footballer Jung Jong-kwan, who played for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors was found dead in an apparent suicide. In his suicide note, he said "I'm ashamed of myself as a person involved in the match-fixing scandal. Those under investigation are all my friends and they haven't blown my name because of friendship. All is my fault and I got them involved."[8]

On 17 June, the Changwon branch of Supreme Prosecutors' Office announced an investigation result of match-fixing. Ten football players were banned from playing in the South Korean football permanently.[9] Pohang Steelers player Kim Jung-kyum did not directly come in with match-fixing, but was banned for five years in South Korean football, because he made unfair profits from the knowledge of match-fixing.[9] Daejeon Citizen's dividend of Sports Toto was reduced by 30% for the 2011 season, and Gwangju FC and Sangju Sangmu Phoenix were reduced by 10% each.[9] (Sports Toto was a legal betting business of South Korean government.)

Second investigation

After the end of the first investigation focused on Daejeon Citizen, Changwon branch of Supreme Prosecutors' Office and the military prosecution broadened the scope of their investigation against Jeonnam Dragons' players.[10] Players who turned themselves in to the prosecutor also appeared, while the number of players summoned by the prosecutor was increasing.

On 29 June, another South Korean international Choi Sung-kuk voluntarily confessed that he attended a conspiracy, but didn't participate in match-fixing.[11]

On 7 July, Changwon Prosecutors' Office announced that ten players including retired players were arrested on suspicion of match-fixing, 33 players including retired players were under indictment, and three players were summarily indicted.[12] Choi Sung-kuk was also indicted for participating in match-fixing.[13]

On 12 July, Sangju Sangmu Phoenix manager Lee Soo-chul was arrested for accepting bribes and intimidation charges in 2010 season.[14] One of indicted players Do Hwa-sung was running his private betting site, and it was caught by investigators.[15]

On 3 August, Changwon Prosecutors' Office lastly announced four more indicted players.

On 25 August, K League Federation announced that 40 players among 46 indicted players in the second investigation were banned for life from football. However, it let 25 players who had confessed have a possibility to reduce their punishment.[16]

Affected matches

The Changwon branch of Supreme Prosecutors' Office concluded that nineteen matches in the 2010 season and two matches in the 2011 season were fixed.[17][18][19][20]

Clubs in bold had players involved in match-fixing.

Competition Date Home Result Away Match-fixing result
2010 Korean League Cup2 June 2010Gwangju Sangmu1–1Seongnam Ilhwa ChunmaFailure
6 June 2010Ulsan Hyundai2–0Gwangju SangmuSuccess
6 June 2010FC Seoul5–1Gwangju SangmuSuccess
2010 K League17 July 2010Daejeon Citizen0–4Jeonbuk Hyundai MotorsSuccess
18 July 2010Daegu FC1–3Suwon Samsung BluewingsSuccess
24 July 2010Incheon United2–3Jeju UnitedSuccess
25 July 2010Daegu FC1–1Gyeongnam FCFailure
31 July 2010Gyeongnam FC3–2Incheon UnitedSuccess
7 August 2010Daegu FC1–3Daejeon CitizenSuccess
7 August 2010Jeju United4–0Gwangju SangmuSuccess
28 August 2010Gwangju Sangmu1–1Gyeongnam FCSuccess
29 August 2010Busan IPark5–3Jeonnam DragonsSuccess
4 September 2010Jeonnam Dragons3–0Daejeon CitizenSuccess
18 September 2010Ulsan Hyundai3–0Jeonnam DragonsSuccess
19 September 2010Daejeon Citizen3–0Gwangju SangmuSuccess
9 October 2010FC Seoul3–2Gyeongnam FCSuccess
27 October 2010Busan IPark0–1Suwon Samsung BluewingsSuccess
27 October 2010Jeju United1–1FC SeoulFailure
3 November 2010Gwangju Sangmu0–1Jeonnam DragonsSuccess
2011 Korean League Cup6 April 2011Busan IPark1–0Gwangju FCSuccess
6 April 2011Daejeon Citizen0–3Pohang SteelersSuccess

Indicted players
Match fixers
Daejeon Citizen Gwangju Sangmu Jeonnam Dragons Daegu FC Incheon United
Jeju United Gyeongnam FC Gwangju FC

Bettor of fixed match

Players unrelated to match-fixing among bribed players

Acquitted players

References
  1. 승부조작 K3축구 파발FC 해체 (in Korean). Yonhap News Agency. 14 January 2009. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  2. 실업 내셔널리그도 승부조작 적발 (in Korean). Views & News. 26 November 2008. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  3. "Incheon United goalkeeper dies". The Korea Times. 6 May 2011.
  4. K-리그 승부조작 의혹, 공론화한 까닭은?. Daily Sports (in Korean). 7 May 2011. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. K리거 '불법 베팅'은 공공연한 비밀. The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). 9 May 2011. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  6. "Match fixing scandal rocks K-League". The Korea Times. 26 May 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  7. 승부조작 혐의 대전시티즌 선수 4명 추가 체포 (in Korean). SBS. 28 May 2011.
  8. "Footballer kills himself over match fixing scandal". The Korea Times. 30 May 2011.
  9. K리그 승부 조작 10명 영구 제명… 프로축구연맹 상벌위서 결정 (in Korean). Kukmin Ilbo. 17 June 2011.
  10. 승부조작 관련 상주 2명 구속 '전남 커넥션' 밝혀지나. Sports Seoul (in Korean). 29 June 2011. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  11. [단독] 국가대표 출신 최성국 "승부조작 모의 참석" (in Korean). The Chosun Ilbo. 29 June 2011.
  12. K리그 선수 10명중 1명 승부조작. Sports Dong-A (in Korean). 8 July 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  13. 펄쩍 뛰던 최성국, 사실상 승부조작 브로커였다 (in Korean). SBS. 8 July 2011.
  14. 이수철 감독 구속, "승부조작 연루 선수 부모 협박, 금품 받아…". ART News (in Korean). 12 July 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  15. 승부조작범 도화성, 에이전트 사기 혐의로 징역 1년 6개월 선고받고 구속 (in Korean). Topstarnews. 8 February 2021.
  16. 연맹, 승부조작 47명 영구 제명…자진신고자는 복귀 기회. Naver.com (in Korean). JoyNews24. 25 August 2011.
  17. 프로축구 승부조작 15경기…연관된 선수-브로커만 63명 (in Korean). The Dong-a Ilbo. 7 July 2011. Archived from the original on 11 July 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  18. 끝 안보이는 프로축구 승부조작 (in Korean). Segye Ilbo. 7 July 2011. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  19. 檢, ‘프로축구 승부조작’ 4경기 추가 확인 (in Korean). Asia Today. 4 August 2011. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  20. 프로축구 승부조작 첫 규명..12명 기소(종합2보) (in Korean). Yonhap News Agency. 9 June 2011. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
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