The Korea Sports Council directed the National Investigation Office, which requested the investigation of Chairman Lee Ki-heung "Suspected Intervention in the Election of the Chairman of the Sports Council"

Nov 11, 2024

"I cannot agree with the announcement of the results of the misconduct inspection by the Office for Government Policy Coordination." I can't erase the suspicion that it is illegal election interference."

The Korean Sports Council cannot agree on the results of the inspection of the Korean Sports Council announced by the Office for Government Policy Coordination on the 10th" declared his position. The Office for Government Policy Coordination 'Government Joint Public Service Inspection Team' (hereinafter referred to as the inspection team) requested the investigation of eight people involved, including Lee Ki-heung, chairman of the National Sports Council.

The inspection team sent six investigators for a month from the 8th of last month to the 8th of last month to conduct a face-to-face survey of 70 people involved, including executives and employees of the sports association, and held a briefing on Sunday. Chairman Lee Ki-heung left for Lausanne, Switzerland on the 11th after submitting a letter of reason for his absence to a question on pending issues at the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, and on the 12th, the Korea Sports and Fair Committee announced allegations of misconduct such as business obstruction, embezzlement, and breach of trust due to fraudulent hiring, private use of sponsored items, and waste of budget. Seo Young-seok, a public service officer at the Office of National Defense, said at the briefing that day, `The inspection team decided to notify the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of 11 people (overlapping seven people) involved in legal action such as ▶ illegal recruitment of employees (obstruction of business), ▶ demand for sponsorship (receiving money, etc.), ▶ private use of sponsored goods (empowerful use) ▶ waste of the sports association's budget (overlapping).'

The KOC immediately responded with a press release. Despite the state affairs manipulation that occurred in the process of integrating the National Sports Association and the Korean Sports Association in 2016, athletes, athletes, and leaders from cities and provinces, sports associations, etc. have overcome all these difficulties. In particular, 13 gold medals, 10 silver medals, and 9 bronze medals were recorded at the Paris Summer Olympics. Three months after the Paris Olympics, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee held hearings, parliamentary inspection, on-site inspection of the Cabinet Office, and the Board of Audit and Inspection at the same time. Members are tired of being repeatedly investigated by various organizations for the same matter, and some employees are complaining of panic. As a result, I believe there may be some deficiencies in the request for data submission from the Office for Government Policy Coordination"We sincerely ask for a more rigorous re-investigation of all allegations of misconduct pointed out by the Office for Government Policy Coordination today, such as the operation of the observation team related to the Paris Olympics and the demand for goods sponsorship (money and goods)." "For your information, today's announcement by the Office for Government Policy Coordination was made two days before the re-election review of the heads of sports organizations, including Lee Ki-heung, chairman of the Korea Sports Council, and we cannot erase the suspicion that it was illegal election intervention." has a line on it.

Meanwhile, whether Lee Ki-heung, who is seeking a third term as chairman of the Korea Sports Council, will be approved for a second term will be decided at the Korea Sports Fair Committee (Chairman Kim Byung-chul) on the 12th. A preliminary review was unanimously passed by the subcommittee on the 4th, and a general meeting on the 12th will conclude whether to serve a second term. The FTC consists of one chairman, three or less vice-chairmen, and 15 or less members, and agendas excluding disciplinary action will be decided with a majority of the members present in attendance.

The following is the full text of the position of the Korean Sports Council related to the results of the inspection by the Office for Government Policy Coordination.

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee today declares that it cannot agree with the announcement of the results of the government affairs coordination office's irregularities against our society.

Despite the state affairs manipulation that occurred in the process of integrating the National Sports Association and the Korean Sports Association in 2016, sportsmen such as provincial sports associations, sports organizations, athletes, and leaders have overcome all these difficulties by becoming one team.

In particular, the Paris Summer Olympics were the best ever with 13 gold medals, 10 silver medals, and 9 bronze medals.

Three months after the Paris Olympics, the Korean Sports and Tourism Commission has received hearings, parliamentary audits, on-site investigations into the Cabinet Office, and audits by the Board of Audit and Inspection.

In the process, members of the Korea Sports Council are tired of fatigue as they are repeatedly investigated by multiple organizations for the same content, and some employees complain of panic. Accordingly, I think there may be insufficient parts in the request for data submission by the Office for Government Policy Coordination.

The Korean Olympic Committee earnestly requests a more rigorous re-investigation of all the allegations of misconduct pointed out by the Office for Government Policy Coordination today, including the operation of the observation team related to the Paris Olympics and the demand for the sponsorship of goods (money and goods), and promises to the people that they will cooperate with any investigation in the future.

※ For reference, today's announcement by the Office for Government Policy Coordination was made two days before the second term review of the heads of sports organizations, including Lee Ki-heung, chairman of the Korea Sports Council, and it is impossible to erase doubts that it is illegal election intervention.

November 8, 2024

Korean Sports Council

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