S. Korea To Conduct Audit Of Women's Football Clubs Over Sexual Misconduct

Zeeshan Mehtab Published January 23, 2019 | 07:37 PM

South Korea's football governing body Wednesday said that it will conduct a full-scale audit of women's clubs to find out about any sexual misconduct cases after one former coach was accused of sexual harassment

SEOUL, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2019 ) :South Korea's football governing body Wednesday said that it will conduct a full-scale audit of women's clubs to find out about any sexual misconduct cases after one former coach was accused of sexual harassment.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) said an inspection team comprised of experts from external institutions will visit women's football clubs in the country, including semi-pro WK League teams, and check whether there has been any sexual violence.

The KFA's latest decision came after local media reported that Ha Keum-jin, former head coach of Gyeongju Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) Women's Football Club, sexually abused a female employee when he was in charge of the WK League club.

The KFA said it will send a special investigation team to Jeju, where KHNP football club's winter training camp is located.

Ha's contract with the KHNP football club was terminated in September 2018 due to alleged sexual harassment, but his wrongdoings were recently unveiled to the public.

According to media reports, Ha already had a history of sexual misconduct when he was a full-time instructor at the KFA. Ha, who coached the under-20 women's team and the under-16 women's team, was axed from the KFA in January 2016 due to sexual harassment but was able to get the KHNP coaching job the following year without any restrictions.

The KFA said it will soon revise the rule and the punishment against sex offenders in the football community to prevent such an incident from happening again.

Sexual violence in the sports community has been among the hottest issues in South Korea in recent weeks after athletes, including Olympic gold-winning skater Shim Suk-hee, spoke out about sexual assaults by coaches.