Seoul: South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism announced on Thursday that it will initiate a police investigation into the president of the Badminton Korea Association (BKA) for alleged misuse of sponsorship assets. The ministry’s investigation into BKA was launched in August following public criticism from Olympic badminton champion An Se-Young regarding the association’s treatment of athletes and internal management practices.
In a press briefing, Sports Bureau Chief Lee Jung-woo revealed findings that BKA President Kim Taek-gyu had allegedly misappropriated 140 million won (approximately $101,559 USD) in sponsored goods without adhering to official procedures. Additional infractions included securing sponsorships valued at 2.6 billion won without competitive bidding, violating subsidy regulations over the past two years. Consequently, the sports ministry has called for Kim’s dismissal by BKA’s sports fairness committee and demanded strict disciplinary measures for the association’s secretary general.
Responding to An’s criticisms, the ministry detailed reforms aimed at enhancing athlete support. These include authorizing players to use personal sponsor-provided equipment such as rackets and shoes during international competitions, addressing An’s concerns about medical care by allowing personal trainers to join national team camps, and expanding medical facilities and staff at the Jincheon National Training Center.
In addition to these reforms, the ministry highlighted plans to address athlete welfare more broadly, including improving accommodation standards and allowing athletes weekend and holiday leave. New policies will also monitor and prevent outdated practices within the national badminton team, such as assigning younger players menial tasks for senior athletes.
“If the association is unable to make meaningful changes, we are prepared to take further action, including dismissing all executives and halting support funding for non-athletic operations,” said Lee, signaling a strong commitment to athlete advocacy and BKA reform.
