South Korean basketball coach arrested for match-fixing

SEOUL—A star basketball coach has been arrested in the latest in a series of match-fixing scandals that have shaken professional sports, including football and baseball, in South Korea.

Prosecutors said Kang Dong-Hee, coach of the professional Dongbu Promy basketball team, had been taken into custody late Monday.

Police suspect Kang of rigging four games in early 2011 in return for 47 million won ($42,850) paid by two gamblers who have already been arrested.

Through his lawyer, Kang has denied all charges.

Korean Basketball League chief Han Sun-Kyo has apologized for the scandal, called for “zero tolerance” against match-fixing, and promised to reform the basketball community.

The two most popular sports in South Korea, baseball and football have been tainted by their own match-fixing scandals.

In 2011 prosecutors charged 57 people — 46 current and former players and 11 criminal gang members and bookmakers — with fixing the results of 15 matches in the professional football K-League.

The investigation led to two players and a former coach taking their own lives and prompted the world governing body FIFA to slap sanctions on dozens of South Korean players.

In 2012 at least 20 people including baseball and volleyball players were given prison sentences, suspended jail terms or fines for match-fixing.

The country already has tough laws restricting gambling and the government has recently strengthened a crackdown on illegal internet betting sites.