Gwangju FC has been sanctioned with a fine of 10 million won, a one-year prohibition on player acquisitions, and a three-year probation due to repeated violations of financial soundness regulations.

The Korea Professional Football League held its fourth disciplinary committee on the 12th to decide on sanctions against Kimpo's Park Kyung-rok, Gwangju's Lee Jung-hyo, the Chungbuk Cheongju club, and the Gwangju club.

■ Gwangju: a fine of 10 million won and a one-year prohibition on player acquisitions with a three-year probation

First, the Gwangju club was imposed a fine of 10 million won and a one-year prohibition on player acquisitions. However, the execution of the player acquisition ban is suspended for three years from the date the disciplinary decision is finalized. If Gwangju fails to resolve its complete capital impairment status by the end of the fiscal year 2027, or if it fails to implement the financial improvement plan approved by the league's financial committee on Feb. 5, 2025, during the probation period, sanctions will be executed immediately.

This decision follows Gwangju's continued violations of financial soundness regulations. Gwangju had been in a state of complete capital impairment during the fiscal year 2022, prior to the implementation of the financial soundness system, and it also failed to meet the breakeven point with a loss of 1.41 billion won in fiscal year 2023 after the system was implemented. Moreover, the club's failure to implement the submitted financial improvement plan exacerbated the capital impairment.

Subsequently, Gwangju also failed to meet the breakeven point in fiscal year 2024, recording a loss of 2.3 billion won, and the submitted financial improvement plan was not adhered to.

In this process, Gwangju submitted a budget to the league, exaggerating revenue for the purpose of strengthening its squad ahead of the 2024-2025 AFC Champions League elite participation, but it actually recorded significant operating losses.

Article 11 of the K League’s disciplinary guidelines states that penalties such as warnings, fines, point deductions, prohibitions on player acquisitions, and demotions to lower leagues can be imposed for violations of financial soundness regulations and rules.

■ Gwangju's Lee Jung-hyo: a fine of 3 million won

Lee Jung-hyo also could not avoid a fine. He was fined 3 million won.

Lee Jung-hyo mentioned the name of the referee who officiated the match during an official press conference after the Gwangju vs. Ulsan match in the 16th round of K League 1, held at Gwangju World Cup Stadium on the 28th of last month, citing that it did not fit well with his team and criticized the refereeing and decisions post-match.

Article 2 of the K League’s disciplinary guidelines stipulates that penalties such as fines or suspensions can be imposed for acts that deny the authority of referees.

■ Kimpo's Park Kyung-rok: two-game suspension

Park Kyung-rok was sanctioned with a two-game suspension.

On the 8th of this month, during the 15th round of K League 2, in a situation where Park Kyung-rok was one-on-one with the goalkeeper in the penalty area of Kimpo, he pushed the opposing attacker from behind in the 36th minute of the second half. The referee at the time did not call a foul.

Later, the Korea Football Association's referee committee concluded in a professional evaluation panel meeting that Park Kyung-rok's foul was not a natural playing action at the moment the opposing attacker clearly attempted to score in a one-on-one situation, and simply pushing him with his hands obstructed the opponent's scoring opportunity, thus constituting a ejection.

The league's disciplinary committee, considering the evaluation results from the Korea Football Association's referee committee and opinions from the league's technical committee, decided to impose a two-game suspension on Park Kyung-rok. This suspension will take effect from the 16th round match against Gyeongnam in K League 2 on the 15th.

■ Chungbuk Cheongju: a fine of 3 million won

Chungbuk Cheongju was fined 3 million won.

This decision pertains to an incident that occurred on the 31st of last month during the 14th round of K League 2 between Chungbuk Cheongju and Gyeongnam at Cheongju Sports Complex.

At the time, a representative of the Chungbuk Cheongju club protested multiple times to the fourth official during the match and also continued to express discontent towards the departing officials after the match.

Article 2 of the K League’s disciplinary guidelines states that fines can be imposed for excessive protests against referee decisions.

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