KSOC chief's election loss costs KFA president a close ally in re-election bid
Published: 16 Jan. 2025, 17:34
Updated: 16 Jan. 2025, 17:54
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- PAIK JI-HWAN
- [email protected]
![Korean Sport & Olympic Committee President Lee Kee-heung, left, and Korea Football Association President Chung Mong-gyu [JOONGANG ILBO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/01/16/9a97ca1c-e4c9-481b-afd8-422a880cb36d.jpg)
Korean Sport & Olympic Committee President Lee Kee-heung, left, and Korea Football Association President Chung Mong-gyu [JOONGANG ILBO]
Incumbent Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) President Lee Kee-heung's loss in his re-election bid on Tuesday is bad news for embattled Korean Football Association (KFA) President Chung Mong-gyu, who now finds himself with weaker support from the country's sports governing body in his bid to maintain his presence in the KFA and sports industry.
After losing to Ryu Seung-min, Lee will no longer have any influence over any sports federation president overseen by the KSOC, including Chung, who also served as KSOC vice president in the past.
Lee appeared to be involved in clearing a path for Chung to remain KFA president, as the two displayed a close relationship through so-called “hospitality golf” last year.
The two played golf together alongside KSOC Commission for Fair Play in Sport Chair Kim Byeong-cheol, who reviewed Chung’s eligibility to run for a third term as KFA president in 2021, raising speculation that Lee persuaded Kim to make Chung eligible for the job again.
The fair play commission also approved Chung’s bid to run for a fourth term last year despite a demand by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism that the KFA suspend him from his duties for allegedly exerting undue influence in two controversial Korean national team manager appointments.
The fair play commission’s perceived irregularities extend beyond that, as it made a questionable call in favor of Lee last year when it granted him the right to run for a third term despite being suspended by the Sports Ministry earlier for suspected misconduct, such as illicit hiring and a misappropriation of funds.
The KSOC, however, will now operate under newly-elected chief Ryu, lowering the chances of Chung extending his stay at the KFA or in the sports industry, where he seemingly grew his presence on to connections.
![Ryu Seung-min celebrates his victory in the election for president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee at the Olympic Hall in southern Seoul on Jan. 14. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/01/16/0537db36-b1e5-45df-beb7-c91d9b5cf5ee.jpg)
Ryu Seung-min celebrates his victory in the election for president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee at the Olympic Hall in southern Seoul on Jan. 14. [YONHAP]
Chung still has a chance to remain KFA chief for another term, with the upcoming election due to take place later this year after being postponed twice.
The vote, originally scheduled to take place on Jan. 8, was delayed after the Seoul Central District Court granted an injunction filed by candidate Huh Jung-moo, who accused the football federation of attempting a cover-up by refusing to identify members of the election committee, and claimed that members of the electoral college had not been chosen in a transparent manner.
Huh also pointed out that members of the election committee were named while Chung was still president, even though KFA rules stipulate that at least two-thirds of the committee must be independent figures not affiliated with the association.
Faced with mounting pressuring from the public, all eight members of the committee resigned on Jan. 10, prompting the sport's governing body to postpone the election again.
The KFA has yet to announce the exact election date, but said on Tuesday that it will form a new election committee this month and take the next step in the process in early February.
Losing his KFA job would mean the end of an era of turbulence in Korean football under Chung, who has made multiple questionable calls, including pardoning 100 people banned from involvement in Korean football in 2023 for various infractions such as match-fixing — only to later reverse his decision.
BY PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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