Sports Instructors Convicted of Child and Elderly Abuse to Be Expelled... Human Rights Protection in Sports Sector Strengthened

Individuals who have committed crimes related to the abuse of children, people with disabilities, or the elderly will now face restrictions in acquiring qualifications as sports instructors. With new grounds established for criminal background checks on executives of sports organizations, further measures are being implemented to protect human rights and enhance public accountability within the sports sector.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that the revised National Sports Promotion Act will take effect from May 12, 2026. Under the amendment, those who have been sentenced to imprisonment or involuntary commitment for crimes involving abuse of children, people with disabilities, or the elderly, and for whom 20 years have not elapsed since the completion, suspension, or exemption of their sentence, or who have received a confirmed fine within the past 10 years, will be restricted from obtaining qualifications as sports instructors.

View original image

Previously, such qualification restrictions only applied to sexual offenses and sex crimes against children and adolescents, but the scope has now been extended to include abuse-related crimes. The category of sports instructors encompasses professional and recreational sports instructors, as well as instructors for people with disabilities, youth, and the elderly.

The Ministry and the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation conduct annual criminal background checks on current sports instructors. If any disqualifying reasons are found, the qualification will be immediately revoked.

The verification process for disqualifying reasons among executives of sports organizations has also been strengthened. The amendment provides a legal basis for requesting criminal background checks from the Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency to confirm disqualifying criteria specified in each organization's articles of association, such as assault or sex crimes. Until now, reliance on self-declaration forms submitted to sports organizations has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the verification process.

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, the Korea Paralympic Committee, and regional sports councils may request criminal background checks for executive candidates with the individual's consent. For executives of professional sports organizations, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism will directly request such checks.

The Ministry has continued to strengthen measures to eradicate violence in the sports community, such as announcing a 'one-strike-out' policy last year under the principle of zero tolerance for violence.

View original image

Kim Daehyun, the Second Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, "With the implementation of this amendment, socially vulnerable groups will be able to participate in sports coaching with greater peace of mind, which is expected to further invigorate participation in recreational sports." He added, "As verified individuals take on leadership roles in sports organizations, the ethics and stability of these organizations will also improve." He emphasized, "However, since institutional reinforcement alone has its limits, the sports community itself must continue efforts to build greater social trust."