"Time of Destiny" Chairman Lee Ki-heung decides whether to serve three consecutive terms, what will happen to the Sports Fair Committee

Nov 11, 2024

Kim Byung-chul, chairman of the Korea Sports Council's sports fair committee (left), answers questions from members at a parliamentary audit of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee on the 22nd of last month.

It will be decided on the 12th whether Lee Ki-heung, chairman of the Korea Sports Council, can try for a third consecutive term.

The Korea Sports Fair Committee (Chairman Kim Byung-chul, hereinafter referred to as the Fair Trade Commission) will hold a general meeting at the Olympic Hall in Bangi-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul at 2 p.m. on the 12th to deal with the agenda for approval of Chairman Lee and others for a second term.

Amid mounting political and internal pressure on Chairman Lee ahead of the 42nd presidential election on January 14 next year, the FTC is the first gateway to go through if it challenges him for a third consecutive term. Executives of sports organizations, including the chairman of the Korea Sports Council, can be reappointed once and must go through FTC deliberation if they challenge for more than three consecutive terms. Chairman Lee unanimously passed the subcommittee's deliberation on the 4th, and a final decision on whether to run or not will be made at the plenary session.

The FTC will form a committee with one chairperson, three or less vice-chairmen, and 15 or less members, and will be decided with a majority of the current members present and a majority of the members present. Concerned about the possibility of a conflict of interest with Kim Byung-chul, a former special adviser to Chairman Lee, the ministry issued a corrective order on the composition and operation of the FTC, but the KOC has maintained that it cannot change the rules during the game. At the plenary session of the National Assembly's Culture and Sports Committee held on the 11th, lawmakers asked questions about the fairness of the sports fair committee. There was also a heated tension between the ruling and opposition parties over the charges against Chairman Lee Ki-heung, who did not appear on the day, for not attending and perjury to the parliamentary inspection. People's Power Rep. Park Jung-ha (interrogator), Rep. Shin Dong-wook, and Rep. Jeong Yeon-wook raised the issue of forming the FTC and asked Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Yoo In-chon "Will the system continue as it is?" Minister Yoo said, `The Sports Fair Committee should be made into an organization with an objective position as an external organization that is not related to the sports association in the future. I'm getting ready now."

On the 12th, the FTC's deliberation will be divided into two categories: entry into executives of international organizations and contribution to groups, with 50 points for quantitative evaluation and 50 points for qualitative evaluation. In the case of Chairman Lee, who wishes to maintain the IOC membership as NOC chairman, it falls under the category of "Entrance to International Organizations Executives". In this case, the quantitative evaluation (50 points) will be given five points each for the entry into international organizations, five points each for executive experience, ten points for financial contribution, ten points for the soundness of group operations, ten points for the attendance of the board of directors, and five points each for reward, disciplinary action, and personal crime. If you contribute more than 80 million won in finances, you will be given the highest score of '15 points'. The 50 points of qualitative evaluation were set according to the irreplaceable degree of the subjects of the review (10 points) in the effort (performance), plan and possibility (20 points), presentation of sports-regional sports development vision (10 points), contribution during his tenure (expanding the base of the event and improving the performance of major international competitions, 10 points), and measures to improve ethics and integrity as executives (10 points).

In the case of Chairman Lee, an incumbent IOC member, there is no reason for disqualification in the quantitative evaluation index. This is because 5 points in the experience of executives of international organizations, 5 points in the level of international organizations entering the future, and the attendance rate of the board of directors are also expected to be full. In the case of qualitative evaluation, high scores are expected if budget expansion or good performance at the Paris Olympics is based on sports/regional sports contribution and international competition performance.

A series of issues such as parliamentary audits and the announcement of the results of the Cabinet Office's inspection may affect the votes of some members of the Fair Trade Commission. However, the qualitative evaluation of social objections and criticism is difficult to reflect in the current FTC's deliberation index.

Meanwhile, regardless of the FTC's decision, the part requested by the Cabinet Office to investigate Chairman Lee could have a big impact on his future moves. If an investigation request is made against Chairman Lee, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism can suspend him from his duties. In the case of the Korea Sports Association, a public service-related organization (an organization that receives more than 1 billion won in investment, contribution, and assistance from the government or local governments) as well as the Public Service Ethics Act, the Act on the Prohibition of Illegal Solicitation and Money, and the Act on the Operation of Public Institutions (audit). According to Article 52-3 of the Act on the Operation of Public Institutions, Chapter 4-2"Action against Violators"The Minister of Strategy and Finance or the head of a competent agency shall request an investigative agency such as the prosecution and police, and an audit agency such as the Board of Audit and Inspection to investigate or audit the executive of the relevant public institution where he/she is deemed to have violated ethical management under paragraph (1) if he/she has committed misconduct prescribed by Presidential Decree, such as bribery, sex crimes, and hiring violations. In such cases, the Minister of Strategy and Finance or the head of the competent agency may propose or request the appointment authority to suspend. If Chairman Lee is subject to investigation, even if he passes the Fair Trade Commission's deliberation, his job will be immediately suspended, and even if he is elected by challenging him for a third term, the possibility of starting his term in a suspended state cannot be ruled out. Chairman Lee Ki-heung and the time for a decision to determine the fate of sports in Korea is approaching.

sky4us@sportschosun.com