Former national soccer team forward Hwang Ui-jo (33, Alanyaspor), who was sentenced to prison by a court on charges of illegal filming, has been effectively "quasi-permanently expelled" in Korea and can no longer work as a player, coach, or in other roles.
The Korea Football Association issued a statement on the 22nd, saying, "Hwang Ui-jo is currently in effect in a 'quasi-permanent expulsion' status, which means it is not possible for him to be active in Korea as a soccer player, coach, or referee."
Addressing some claims that the association has been lukewarm about matters related to Hwang Ui-jo, it explained, "Under Article 2 of the national soccer team operating regulations and Articles 3 and 10 of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) national team selection and operating regulations, a person who has committed a sex crime under Article 2 of the Act on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes and has been sentenced to imprisonment or a heavier punishment with a suspended execution within the past 20 years from the date the suspension was granted cannot be selected for the national team."
Article 34 of the association's registration regulations and Article 14 of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) registration regulations stipulate that those who fall under this category cannot be registered as players, coaches, referees, or player management officials.
However, the association said Hwang Ui-jo's overseas activities are not subject to discipline by the Korea Football Association. Under the association and KSOC Sports Fairness Committee rules, only athletes registered in the association's registration system and the KSOC athlete registration system are subject to discipline.
Under the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) registration regulations, Hwang Ui-jo is registered with a foreign league (Türkiye Süper Lig), not the Korea Football Association. The association said, "It is not possible under the rules to impose discipline by applying the KSOC and association Fairness Committee regulations to an athlete who is not registered with the association."
Earlier, the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Appeals Panel 1-3 (Presiding Judges Jo Jeong-rae, Jin Hyeon-ji, and An Hee-gil) on 4th sentenced Hwang Ui-jo, who was indicted on charges of violating the Act on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes (filming using a camera, etc.), to one year in prison, suspended for two years, the same as the first trial. Both Hwang Ui-jo and the prosecution did not file an appeal within the deadline.