'Challenge for 4 consecutive terms' Press conference to run for president of KFA heated up with Chung Mong-gyu's appearance on the 19th

Dec 12, 2024

President of the Korea Football Association Chung Mong-kyu at the AFC Awards. Photo = Reporter Yoon Jin-man

FIFA President Johnny Infantino and KFA President Chung Mong-kyu. Photo courtesy = Korea Football Association

Chung Mong-kyu, chairman of the Korea Football Association (KFA), plans to hold a press conference to run for the fourth term on the 19th and start a full-fledged move.

Chairman Chung's side passed the deliberation on Chung's eligibility for consecutive terms at the Sports Fair Committee of the Korea Sports Council held on the 12th and 11th. Chairman Chung will hold a press conference to run for the 55th president of the Korea Football Association around the 19th. The exact schedule and location will be announced again later, it said. The Sports Fair Trade Commission deliberated and approved Chairman Chung's fourth term approval agenda at a closed general meeting held at the Olympic Hall in Seoul on the 11th. The previous subcommittee evaluated whether to enter international organizations' executives, financial contributions, soundness of group operations, attendance at the board of directors, and rewards, exceeding the standard score of 60 points (100 points). In the general meeting, the qualification for four consecutive terms was approved through quantitative and qualitative evaluations.

Chairman Chung, who served three terms as head of the KFA in 2013, announced his intention to seek a fourth consecutive term on the 28th of last month, and as a result of the Sports Fair Commission, he opened the way for a fourth term. At the press conference for the candidacy, it is expected to reveal how it felt during the last term and plans to operate the association over the next four years. Analysts say the press conference is tantamount to a signal that Chairman Chung will enter a full-fledged four-term mode.

Reporter Chung Mong-kyu of the Korea Football Association

(Seoul=Yonhap News) Rep. Shin Joon-hee = Rep. Chung Mong-kyu of the Korea Football Association attends a plenary session of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 24th, answering lawmakers' questions. 2024.9.24

Chairman Chung took over as head of the KFA in 2013 and unanimously won re-election in 2016. He ran independently in 2021 and won three terms with no vote. There was an expectation that it would not be easy to try for the fourth term. Chairman Chung attended a specific audit on the controversy, including the appointment of a national coach. On the 5th, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism demanded severe disciplinary action against Chairman Chung beyond the suspension of his qualifications based on the audit results. In response, Chairman Chung issued a counter-argument that it was difficult to agree.

As a result, the KFA elected the head of Korean soccer through elections for the first time in 12 years since 2013. Earlier, Huh Jung-moo, former chairman of Hana Citizen in Daejeon, and a professor at the Graduate School of Records and Information Science in Shinmunseonji University officially announced their candidacy for the election. Chung Mong-gyu vs. Chung Mong-gyu's three-way battle is likely. The registration period for election candidates is three days from the 25th, and the election will be held on January 8 next year. The term begins on January 22.

Chairman Chung submitted a statement of intention to register a candidate to the KFA on the 2nd, 50 days before the start of the new chairman's term, and has been suspended from his job. Vice Chairman Kim Jung-bae is acting as the chairman of KFA.

yoonjinman@sportschosun.com