Police Launch Preliminary Probe Into Current and Former Officers Over Alleged Receipt of Futbol Club Barcelona Tickets

[Financial News] Police have begun a preliminary inquiry into allegations that current and former police officials received complimentary tickets from a sponsoring company during last year’s friendly match between Futbol Club Barcelona and FC Seoul.
According to the National Police Agency on the 13th, its Major Crimes Investigation Unit received a request for an investigation on the 12th into allegations that people received complimentary tickets to a Futbol Club Barcelona match, and began a preliminary investigation before anyone was formally booked.
The allegations emerged in connection with the friendly match between Futbol Club Barcelona and FC Seoul held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on July 31 last year. The National Police Agency launched an internal inspection after indications emerged that a list drawn up by BBQ, the official sponsor at the time, of people offered complimentary tickets included 33 current and former police officials. Of those on the list, 28 were serving police officers and five had retired, according to reports.
The internal inspection reportedly found that three people acknowledged actually receiving complimentary tickets, including Kim Yong-jong, head of the Incheon International Airport Police Corps and a senior superintendent, and two superintendent-level officers. At the time, Senior Superintendent Kim was serving as chief of the Seoul Songpa Police Station, which has jurisdiction over the location of BBQ’s headquarters. He reportedly received two Premium C seats, worth 500,000 won each.
The National Police Agency also took personnel action against two senior superintendents facing related allegations. Senior Superintendent Kim was placed on standby in the agency’s General Affairs Division, while Senior Superintendent Son Chang-hyeon, who had headed the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s 101st Security Unit, was transferred to head the Community Safety Division at the Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency. Son, however, maintains that he did not receive any complimentary tickets.
A National Police Agency official said, “The investigation does not cover officials from other ministries or journalists; it is limited to police officers.”
[email protected] Kim Ye-ji Reporter