The Top Corporate Card Spender Among Chukhyup Executives Is the Vice Chairman's Wife at a Japanese Restaurant

Recent Disclosure of Last Year's Corporate Card Usage Details

The Korea Football Association's largest expenditure last year using corporate cards was at a Japanese restaurant owned by the spouse of Vice Chairman Choi Young-il of the Football Association.

On the 23rd, an analysis of the '2023 Football Association Business Promotion Expenses and Corporate Card Usage Details' obtained from the Korea Sports Council's Sports Support Portal system by Kang Yoo-jung, a member of the Democratic Party, revealed that the restaurant where 14 Football Association executives spent the most money was a Japanese restaurant located in Songpa-gu, Seoul.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

This Japanese restaurant is known to be operated by Vice Chairman Choi's spouse. The Football Association made payments totaling 3,645,000 KRW there over 20 occasions. This was the highest amount spent among the 867 places where the Football Association used corporate cards last year. Additionally, the restaurant was found to be somewhat distant from the Football Association's office in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

As the controversy spread, A, the spouse of Vice Chairman Choi who runs the restaurant, stated to the 'Kyunghyang Newspaper' on the same day, "(Vice Chairman Choi) has hosted guests there," but added, "I am not sure if this is a big problem."

Previously, in 2017, 12 current and former executives of the Football Association were booked on charges of breach of trust for using corporate cards at places unrelated to work, such as golf courses and entertainment bars.

The Football Association had earlier caused controversy by publicly stating "no usage details" in response to audit demands from the Korea Sports Council to disclose corporate card usage. Following increased demands to reveal the usage details, the Football Association recently disclosed last year's corporate card usage on the Korea Sports Council's Sports Support Portal.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.