Does fairness make people competent?

Choi Hoon

The author is a professor at Hallym University.

The FIFA World Cup 2026, which Korea fans had waited four years to enjoy, ended in disappointment. When a tournament concludes without a happy ending, a wave of reactions from supporters and spectators inevitably follows. Some express their pain, while others offer encouragement. Both become part of the process through which teams and fans move forward. This year’s World Cup, however, has sparked a somewhat different conversation.

The men’s national football team and the Korea Football Association have been at the center of controversy for several years. The claim that the national team manager’s appointment had not been fair was at the heart of that debate. An official government audit later confirmed problems in the selection process. Following Korea’s failure to reach the Round of 32, questions about procedural fairness have resurfaced.

What makes the debate intriguing is that the team’s failure to advance in the tournament is fundamentally a question of competence, yet much of the criticism has focused instead on fairness, an issue of ethics. Morality and competence are, in principle, separate concepts. An unfair hiring process does not automatically prove that the person selected lacks ability.

However, people instinctively connect morality with competence. Studies have shown that individuals perceived as unethical are also more likely to be judged as less capable. They are viewed not merely as bad people but as individuals with weaker social intelligence who struggle to understand others’ reactions and assess situations properly. Other research has found that leaders who do their jobs fairly are consistently rated by their members as more competent than those who do not.

It would be difficult to dismiss such perceptions of competence based on morality as entirely misguided. Higher levels of procedural fairness encourage trust in organizations, strengthen commitment among members and reduce counterproductive behavior. Those changes, in turn, improve overall performance. In that sense, fairness does more than satisfy ethical expectations. It also helps create competence.

The World Cup has prompted renewed discussion about fairness, but the issue extends far beyond football. The painful debates surrounding the national team may ultimately reflect a broader hope that in a society that respects fairness, the efforts of everyone who works hard will be recognized and rewarded on their merits.