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Pak Se-ri's father gets suspended sentence for fraud involving ex-golfer's foundation

Published: 17 Dec. 2025, 14:09 Updated: 17 Dec. 2025, 20:52

Former golfer Pak Se-ri delivers opening remarks at a production presentation for the KBS2 variety show “Krazy Rich Korean” at the KBS Annex in Yeouido, western Seoul, on June 10. [YONHAP]

The father of former golfer Pak Se-ri was handed a suspended prison sentence after being convicted of fraudulently using the name of the Seri Pak Hope Foundation to take part in the establishment of an international golf school.

The Daejeon District Court said Wednesday that it sentenced Pak Jun-cheol, Pak’s father, to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years, on charges including forging private documents and using forged documents.

The golfer's father was accused of falsely claiming to have authority as head of the foundation and pressing ahead with a project to establish the Saemangeum International Golf School between June 2021 and July 2023. Prosecutors said he had an official seal made in the foundation’s name without authorization and affixed it to related documents.

He received a proposal from a company seeking to establish the institution, submitted a letter of intent to administrative authorities and went on to sign agreements between companies. However, he had not been granted any authority by the foundation and held no official position within the organization, which filed a criminal complaint in September 2023 after discovering the matter.

The senior Pak claimed he acted for the benefit of his daughter and said he had received implicit authorization from the foundation, but the court rejected the argument.

The court said he had no legal authority to prepare documents in the foundation’s name and that it was difficult to assume the consent for the project would have been given.

“While the defendant appears to have proceeded with this case knowing he lacked legal authority, the documents he prepared were limited to letters of intent or confirmations of facts and are difficult to view as imposing legal obligations on the foundation,” the court said. “In addition, it does not appear that the foundation suffered actual damage.”

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 HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]