The national pro football league said Thursday it will delay meting out punishment on Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors over a bribery scandal.
The K League had been scheduled to discuss penalties for Jeonbuk on Friday, but it will do so after mid-August instead, according to Cho Nam-don, who heads the league's disciplinary committee.
In May, local prosecutors said a Jeonbuk scout, identified only by his surname Cha, had been indicted on charges of bribing two referees in 2013. Cho said the league postponed the disciplinary meeting after the scout gave a different testimony in his first trial Wednesday than what he'd stated to the prosecutors.
In the trial, the scout reportedly admitted he gave the money to the referees, but insisted that he didn't make any "inappropriate requests." This contradicts the testimonies from the referees, who reportedly told the prosecutors that they understood the payment was made in pursuit of favorable calls for Jeonbuk.
"Whether or not there was an 'inappropriate request' is a critical element to determine Cha's guilt in this criminal case, and it's also an important part to decide our disciplinary action against Jeonbuk," said Cho, who is also an attorney. "Since Cha insisted the money was given without the expectation of some reciprocity, we don't know what the truth is in this case."
Cho said the presence of any inappropriate request will be determined once the referees are interrogated in court. He added that the league will not make its decision on Jeonbuk until the court rules on Cha's actions. The second trial of the bribery case is slated for July 17.
"If we decide our punishment without confirming all the facts, it could be seen as an arbitrary decision," he said. "We need to secure justification on our decision."
Depending on the court ruling, Jeonbuk could face point deductions or relegation to the second division, or even expulsion from the league. The K League office previously slapped Gyeongnam FC with a 10-point deduction and a 70 million won (US$ 60,680) fine for the 2016 season after their club officials were convicted of bribery.
Jeonbuk are one of the premier clubs in South Korean pro football. They have won the first-tier K League Classic title four times, including three in the past five seasons, and triumphed at the Asian Football Confederation Champions League in 2006.
They are in first place this season with nine wins and eight draws, the longest undefeated run to start a season.
Jeonbuk coach Choi Kang-hee and general manager Lee Chul-geun both hinted at resignation if the scout's charges are confirmed in court. (Yonhap)
