Indictments Handed Down In Korean Swimming Fed Alleged Bribery Case

In the continuing story of alleged corruption within the Korean Swimming Federation (KSF), leading to first raids of the organization’s headquarters, followed by arrests of key board members, indictments have now been levied by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office.

A KSF official and two coaches were arrested on charges of allegedly receiving bribes in exchange for ‘peddling influence over the selection of national aquatic team members’, bribes that totaled in the ballpark of 230 million won ($191,000). A former KSF board member, known by surname Chung, has specifically been indicted for allegedly accepting bribes from another executive member, identified only by surname Park, spanning the time period of February 2004 to April 2015.

Park runs a private swimming club and prosecutors believe that Chung ‘unlawfully helped’ athletes who practiced at that facility to get on the national team. Park has also been indicted.

Noh Min-sang, Korean Olympian Park Tae Hwan’s former coach, was also alleged to have given approximately 90 million won to Chug during the years 2009 and 2012. However, the statute of limitations has run out and Noh is, therefore, exempt from indictment. (Yonhap)

This isn’t the first time in recent months that Korea has seen itself involved in a sporting corruption scandal. We reported last November how accusations of forgery surrounded the city of Gwangju, who hosted the 2015 World University Games and is slated to host the 2019 FINA World Championships.

Korea’s Ministry of Strategy and Finance pointed to the use of forged documents in the its original World Championships’ bidding process back in 2013, an accusation that came to fruition in the form of legal punishment.  Earlier in January 2014, two South Korean government officials were dealt suspended 6-month prison sentences after having been found guilty of forging signatures of former Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik and former Culture Minister Choe Kwang-sik on documents, which pledged government monetary aid for the hosting of the World Championships.