'19th-century association, 21st-century player'Writing style...Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism"The Badminton Association's audit by September 6th, opportunity to improve the system"

Aug 26, 2024

Replying Lee Ki-heung, Chairman of the Korea Sports Council

The plenary session of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 26th was a venue for denouncing the Korea Sports Association, the Badminton Association, and the Korea Football Association. Questions and responses were always hot enough to remind us of the National Audit Office.

Since the controversy surrounding the selection process of the national team coach and Ahn Se-young, the gold medalist of badminton at the Paris Olympics, the audit and investigation of the Korean Badminton Association, the controversy over the Paris Olympics observers, the controversy over the disbandment of the Paris Olympics, and the deep conflict between the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the sports association were all hot issues. As it is a matter of public interest, sharp questions from the writing committee members were poured into Yoo In-chon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vice Minister Jang Mi-ran, Director Lee Jung-woo, and Lee Ki-heung, chairman of the Korea Sports Council

Replying Lee Ki-heung, Chairman of the Korea Sports Council

When asked by Kim Seung-soo, a lawmaker of People's Power, if any serious procedural defects or violations of the law are found, Yoo said, "The appointment of a coach is a political issue. I think I need some opinions from the Korea Football Association or the officials because the game (2026 North-China World Cup qualifying round) will be held in September," he replied.

Regarding the composition of the Paris Olympics observation team, there were also controversies over non-sports and religious figures who had nothing to do with sports, and criticized them for wasting taxes and their own budgets. Chairman Lee is aware of the public opinion when Rep. Kim Seung-soo pointed out that he will pay more than 3 million won in salary to the chairman's special advisory group and appoint the chairman at his discretion," he replied. "In the case of the attendance group, it has been done for a long time, and it has been expanded by integrating it with sports for all." There was also a demand that 800 out of 960 unemployment teams should go to form a consensus as they operate in the region. " In the case of Suhyup, 300kg of eels is provided to the athletes' village during international competitions, and the head of the hospital is a specialized hospital that receives treatment outside the athletes' village. The Jogye Order is the most active religious organization operating in the athletes' village and also sends out-of-season training," he said.

Criticism was also poured out over the reduction of the dismissal ceremony of Taegeuk Warriors, who returned home with 13 gold medals. Jin Jong-oh, a former Olympic shooting gold medalist and member of the People's Power Party, said, `I've never seen such a drastic reduction in the number of years since the Olympic disbandment ceremony.' Chairman Lee formally submitted to the Korea Airports Corporation on the 10th a schedule for the site, and the site designated by the Korea Airports Corporation was inappropriate," he replied. Minister Yoo said, `The preparations have been made by the sports association, and we went to celebrate, but I was informed that the venue has suddenly changed" he said.

Park Jung-ha, a member of the People's Power, then raised suspicions by naming the names of some companies that have signed voluntary contracts with the Korean Sports Council. Regarding the suspicion of a private contract with a sponsor of the Korea Sports Association, Minister Yoo In-chon "It is currently an audit matter. I will tell you in detail when the investigation is over."

Replying Lee Ki-heung, Chairman of the Korea Sports Council

Rep. Kang Yoo-jung of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea queried, "'The Korean sports community is still in the 19th century practice, and only the athletes are in the 21st century' to the government in the 20th century.'" Please let me know the progress of the investigation into the Korean Sports Council and the Badminton Association of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism." Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Yoo In-chon is looking into the relationship between athletes and leaders, the process of selecting representatives, and the execution of budget within the associationThe goal is to finish it in September. We will share the results as soon as we are done." Lee Jung-woo, director of the sports bureau at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said "The investigation is the second week." If possible, we will complete the investigation by September 6 and publish interim results," it said. Asked if there are similar examples of other sports related to the 'Salary Cap' rule, which limits the salaries of badminton players, the director replied "We are investigating 45 sports at the Asian Games other than badminton, but there are no cases other than badminton so far." "It is difficult to just ask athletes in the 21st century to commit themselves to the country in their past behavior. In response to the suggestion that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism should improve guidelines or systems, Director Lee will recommend each association to improve the system after the audit. We will come up with a system that can be used effectively," he replied. "We will interview other players and find ways to improve Ahn's sponsorship issues or qualitative evaluation issues when selecting national team members."," he added.

Rep. Kang's 'Korea Taekwondo Association and the Korea Badminton Association do not have any donationsChairman Lee Ki-heung replied that `I cannot enforce the chairman's financial capabilities.' Kang said, `It is regrettable that there is no sign of efforts even if we do not appear in our private property.'

Rep. Lim Oh-kyung of the Democratic Party of Korea, secretary of the Democratic Party of Korea 'Usaengsoon Legend', asked from the standpoint of the Korean Sports Council and the team. To Chairman Lee Ki-heung "He has achieved the best performance with the least number of athletes since the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Chairman Lee Ki-heung is being reprimanded when he should be praised"I saw him carrying rice to encourage the player leader out of sight. Medals don't just come out."

Replying Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo In-chon

On this day, Lee Ki-heung, chairman of the Korea Sports and Olympic Committee, asked for the understanding of the secretaries of both parties of the committee, and he came to attend the opening ceremony of the 32nd Korea-China-Japan Junior General Competition in the afternoon. Despite Chairman Lee's absence, sharp questions continued throughout the afternoon from the writing committee members surrounding the Korea Sports Council, the Badminton Korea Association, and the Korea Football Association.

Rep. Cho Kye-won of the Democratic Party of Korea bluntly asked Minister Yoo In-chon "Thoughts on resignation of Chung Mong-gyu, president of the Korea Football Association". Minister Yoo said he would run for the fourth time, which is basically not possible. Three or more terms can be done if the Korea Sports and Fair Trade Commission approves it. If the FTC is fair, it will be difficult to run again."

Rep. Shin Dong-wook of the People's Power confirmed to Lee Jung-woo, director of the sports bureau at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, that Lee Ki-heung, chairman of the Korean Sports and Olympic Committee, asked the minister and vice minister not to come to the ceremony for the Paris Olympics. When Lee replied, `I heard that the Korean Sports and Olympic Committee is willing to do it arbitrarily,' Shin asked again, `Can you understand that Jang, the vice minister, is not to come?' and Lee `couldn't understand.' So I asked the Minister, the Vice Minister, to attend." When asked if there was another such case, Director Lee replied, `If the minister and vice minister go to Jincheon Training Center Media Day, they often exclude the opportunity to speak or do not receive them.' Asked why the conflict between the KOC and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has reached this point, Minister Yoo In-chon criticized and kicked out the entire sports association, saying, `The decisive thing is that the secretary-general who colluded with the organizing committee of the Universiade in Chungcheong last year became a person he didn't like. I think it's naturally been badged because I've been doing this all along."

Min Hyung-bae, a lawmaker of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea, asked the ministry, `Did you see the 15-page document that Ahn Se-young sent to the Badminton Korea Association earlier this year.' Rep. Min said, `I changed the rules for selecting national team members, but there is no minutes of the meeting. It also did not go through the Sports Fair Trade Commission's deliberation. There was a shoe-related sponsorship problem, and no one cared even though it was in the minutes, he said "Sports underdeveloped countries". Rep. Min said "I was so embarrassed to see the issue raised at the meeting on Ahn Se-young. There is no diagnosis of medal count, no management, no player management. If a 22-year-old player has released a 15-page document, he should think about how to solve this problem, but he shouldn't approach it like "Why are you talking recklessly?"."

Minister Yoo expressed his determination not to miss the opportunity for innovation, saying, `I don't think there will be this opportunity.' Then "In fact, the institution, the National Assembly, protected (the sports committee). Even if he opposed the establishment of the Lausanne office, he pressured why he would not approve the budget determined by the National Assembly. I didn't do it until the end, but I allowed it because of the Olympics. He said he would only pay the operating expenses until this year and not start next year. Whenever a sports meeting was mentioned, institutions and religious organizations said not to touch it. It's not that we're going to scold them. Let's do it right. They are asking that they do everything by creating a sports policy committee and changing the government organization law" he insisted. Rep. Min asked "Is that approach helpful, but are you willing to change it that way?When asked ", Minister Yoo immediately replied "Never". When asked why the sports community is pushing for it, Yoo said, `They think they can do it. I think they'll all help you," he replied. When Min pointed out that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has been so poor in supervising the sports association, Minister Yoo insisted that `that's why he continues to supervise it.'

Rep. Park Soo-hyun of the main opposition Minjoo Party said, `There will be an opportunity to focus on this issue and it is not a matter of hurry. We note that Minister Yoo paradoxically said, `It's a really good opportunity.' "The important thing is to calmly talk about how the older generation, the institutional community, and the political community will develop this issue so that the person who bravely talked about it will not be sacrificed, and how to lead social consensus through collective intelligence" " and "I think this is the way for the athlete's spirit to shine and repay his courage."

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