PAJU — Paju, a city in Gyeonggi Province, has identified a total of 21 problems in an audit of the overall operations of Paju Citizen Football Club, covering personnel, accounting, contracts and squad management, and has begun follow-up measures. The city said the aim is to overhaul internal controls in line with the club's expanded organization and budget since it joined K League 2, and to improve transparency in subsidy spending and club management.
The city said on the 26th that it found the problems after conducting an audit from Aug. 24 to Sept. 11 covering the club's personnel and service management, accounting and budget, contracts, and squad operations.
The audit was carried out to review the appropriateness of the club's operations and to strengthen accountability in the spending of subsidies funded by taxpayers.
In personnel and service management, the audit found cases in which the club failed to obtain approval from or consult the mayor, who serves as club owner, or omitted required personnel procedures. Shortcomings in service management were also cited, raising the need to review basic procedures for running the organization.
In accounting and budget, documentation of expenditures and management of budget execution were inadequate, and the club failed to properly follow procedures when revising subsidy project plans. Management of records on sponsorship money and goods received and used, as well as standards for spending its own revenue, were also found lacking, indicating a need for broad improvements in accounting management.
In contract work, the audit found cases in which basic procedures were not followed, including reviews of eligibility for private contracts and preparation of contract documents. In squad operations, the audit called for greater objectivity and efficiency in setting player pay and managing foreign players. Improper cases were also found in the payment of allowances and the spending of business expenses.
The city plans to proceed with follow-up steps, including requiring financial measures and disciplinary measures under relevant rules for each finding. It will also revise operating rules and improve its work management system to prevent similar cases from recurring.
In particular, with the club's organization and budget having grown since it joined K League 2, the city plans to tighten internal management standards in core areas such as personnel, accounting, contracts and service management. It intends to supplement relevant rules and upgrade computer systems to improve transparency and accountability in how work is handled.
An official at the city said, "As befits a citizen football club that operates on the trust of residents, we will strictly carry out follow-up measures based on the audit results," adding, "We will continue to check whether operational improvements are implemented and establish a transparent and accountable system for running the club."
Details of the audit results are available on the Paju city website under "Information Disclosure — Audit Information Disclosure."