KFA chief candidates urge federation to show Chung at least a yellow card
Published: 20 Jan. 2025, 17:15
![KFA presidential candidate Shin Moon-sun speaks during a press conference in front of the KFA House in central Seoul on Jan. 10. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/01/20/27279a64-da1b-48fe-86c8-88da66618f14.jpg)
KFA presidential candidate Shin Moon-sun speaks during a press conference in front of the KFA House in central Seoul on Jan. 10. [YONHAP]
Two rival candidates in the election for the top Korean football job have both urged the governing body to discipline its incumbent chief, Chung Mong-gyu, as demanded by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Shin Moon-sun, former player and television analyst, said Monday that the Korea Football Association (KFA) must quickly act on the demand by the Sports Ministry and hand down a penalty on Chung.
In announcing the findings of its monthslong probe into the KFA in November, the ministry sought "at least the suspension" of Chung and other senior executives over a number of irregularities, including the controversial hiring of Hong Myung-bo as the new men's national team head coach in July.
The KFA appealed the ruling, but the ministry dismissed it on Jan. 2. The KFA is required to take action on Chung within a month.
"The KFA must open disciplinary proceedings for Chung as soon as possible," Shin said at an impromptu press conference Monday. "The deadline set by the ministry is fast approaching, but we have not seen any signs that the KFA is about to take action."
Shin echoed the sentiment expressed by another candidate, former men's national team head coach Huh Jung-moo, who had said Friday the KFA must no longer waste any time in disciplining Chung.
"If the KFA is trying to get Chung elected and have him avoid any penalty, then it would be wise to forget about such plans," Huh said in a statement, adding that Chung's victory would have to be certified by the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee.
The KFA presidential election was originally scheduled for Jan. 8 but was postponed a day before when the Seoul Central District Court granted an injunction filed by Huh to stop the proceedings. Huh had raised issues with the composition of the federation's election management committee and claimed that the KFA deliberately tried to exclude a certain sector of voters from the electoral college.
The KFA later announced the election would instead be held on Jan. 23, but Shin and Huh both balked on the grounds that they had never agreed to the rescheduling. The election was then postponed indefinitely when all eight members of the election management committee resigned on Jan. 10.
Yonhap
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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