Korea Football Association begins war on fake news, files complaint with Seoul district court

The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced Wednesday that it will take a hard-line stance against fake news involving the national football team and the association.

The Korea Football Association headquarters in Jongno District, central Seoul. [YONHAP]

The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced Wednesday that it will take a hard-line stance against fake news involving the national football team and the association.

“We can no longer overlook the malicious production and dissemination of false information on social media and video platforms that distorts the truth and damages reputations,” the KFA said in a statement. “We plan to respond firmly.”

The KFA has formally filed a complaint with the Seoul Central District Court and begun legal proceedings.

The association explained that the decision comes amid a surge in fake news being circulated via social media platforms rather than traditional media outlets, making it difficult to identify the original creators. These false narratives are increasingly being accepted as facts, a situation the KFA described as “serious.”

It said the spread of fabricated quotes attributed to national team players and officials, fictional accounts of internal team conflicts and personal attacks targeting the national team coach and KFA president have crossed the line of acceptable criticism, prompting a comprehensive response.

National football team players greet fans after their victory against Paraguay on Oct. 14. [NEWS1]

The association previously refrained from taking action, dismissing such content as obviously false. However, the continued circulation of fake stories — including claims such as “Park Hang-seo appointed new head coach of the national team” and “FIFA sanctions KFA” — along with a flood of concerned complaints from fans, led the KFA to reconsider its stance.

The association added that the decision also reflects internal concerns about the potential disruption to its plans for supporting the national team in the lead-up to the North and Central America-hosted World Cup. The KFA cited the need to address the behavior of so-called cyber wreckers who pursue personal gain by manipulating public opinion online.

“Spreading unfounded claims to stir public opinion and pursue profit has nothing to do with constructive criticism aimed at developing Korean football,” said Kim Yoon-joo, head of compliance at the KFA. “This lawsuit is just the beginning of our efforts to ensure that national team members and KFA staff can continue their work free from the distress caused by baseless rumors.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY PARK RIN [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]