Another controversy over K League 'business class' emerges after Cancun: "Why give a lecture on the '100-year health method' in Qatar?"... "Citizen clubs, 1.3 billion won over four years" — an outrageous business trip

*This content was translated by AI.

It has been revealed that representatives of K League citizen clubs traveled on business class seats funded by taxpayers for multiple overseas trips. This comes in addition to the previously controversial visit to Cancun, Mexico, a resort area during the 2026 CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers.

According to data submitted by the Korea Professional Football League (K-League) to Rebuilding Korea Party Kim Jae-won (Rep.)'s office on the 5th regarding the "K League Academy CEO Program," citizen club representatives repeatedly participated in overseas training programs using business class seats, supported by budgets from both the league and their respective clubs.

The training program was conducted a total of five times between 2022 and 2025 in Qatar, Madrid and Barcelona in Spain, Yokohama in Japan, and New York in the United States. The total cost incurred amounted to approximately 1.315 billion won, with the league covering 879.92 million won and the clubs contributing 435.5 million won.

A review of the detailed schedule reveals a strong character of overseas tours. During the 2022 Qatar World Cup observation trip, three teams — Gimpo FC, Bucheon FC1995, and Incheon United — incurred additional expenses by using a mix of economy and business class seats. The itinerary included lectures on "health methods for the 100th-year era" unrelated to football management, as well as unspecified "personal time."

During the 2023 training session in Madrid, Spain, all representatives from eight participating citizen clubs — Gangwon FC, Gyeongnam FC, Gwangju FC, Kim Cheon (SVP), Bucheon, Seongnam FC, FC Anyang, and Incheon — utilized business class seats. In the 2024 Barcelona program in Spain, five teams used business class seats while two teams used mixed-class seats; visits to the Barcelona Museum were also included in the schedule.

The 2025 New York program in the United States similarly saw nine citizen clubs, including Gangwon and Gyeongnam, travel on business class seats. Notably, the itinerary was confirmed to include not only attendance at the FIFA Club World Cup but also viewing Major League Baseball (MLB) games.

Kim Jae-won (Rep.) strongly criticized this conduct and called for clear evidence of results. He stated, "We are not objecting to learning from advanced cases abroad. However, if taxpayer money is spent on itineraries that include personal time, museum visits, and MLB game viewings, there must be clear proof of what was investigated and how club operations were improved."

He further emphasized, "If business class travel and attendance at famous games remain but no results in management innovation for citizen clubs are left behind, the criticism that this is merely an overseas tour rather than education cannot be avoided. We will hold them accountable to ensure that overseas trips by citizen clubs and the league do not become unchecked privileges."

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*This content was translated by AI.