Former Korean Sport & Olympic Committee President Lee Ki-heung [Newsis]
Former Korean Sport & Olympic Committee President Lee Ki-heung [Newsis]

Police say no evidence found to substantiate charges

Police have cleared former Korean Sport & Olympic Committee President Lee Ki-heung of all charges after an investigation lasting more than a year.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's anti-corruption unit decided earlier this month not to refer Lee to prosecutors on charges including obstruction of business, third-party bribery, breach of fiduciary duty, embezzlement, coercion and violations of the anti-graft law related to payment of goods purchase costs, police said Monday.

At a regular press briefing Monday, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Ko Beom-seok said he had been informed that "when the secured materials and statements from those involved were reviewed comprehensively, there was no evidence to substantiate the charges, and that is why the decision was made not to refer the case."

The police investigation into Lee was launched at the request of the Office for Government Policy Coordination. The office's public service conduct inspection team examined irregularities at the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee and found that Lee had improperly hired an acquaintance as a staff member at the national team training center and had subordinate sports federations cover some of the committee's expenses. The team referred the case to police in November 2024. At the time, Buddhist community groups expressed concern that the referral amounted to a "humiliation-driven investigation" targeting Lee, who was then embroiled in corruption allegations — a concern that has now been borne out.

Separately from the police investigation, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism suspended Lee from his duties based on the Office for Government Policy Coordination's findings. While under suspension, he ran in the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee presidential election last January but lost to Yoo Seung-min, then president of the Korea Table Tennis Association, failing in his bid for a third term. Police conducted searches and seizures at eight locations, including the committee's office in Songpa-gu, Seoul, and the national training center in Jincheon, as part of the more than year-long investigation.

Meanwhile, incumbent Korean Sport & Olympic Committee President Yoo Seung-min has also been under police investigation on allegations including breach of fiduciary duty stemming from his time as table tennis association president. Police decided in June not to refer charges against Yoo, but the complainant requested a review of that decision earlier this month, seeking a determination on whether reinvestigation or supplementary investigation is warranted.


kido@heraldcorp.com