End of 15-month conflict! Official confirmation of Joo Won-hong, chairman of the Korea Tennis Association → Term guaranteed until 2029

Dec 19, 2024

Joo Won-hong, president of the Korea Tennis Association.

The position of the chairman of the Korea Tennis Association, which had been vacant for more than 15 months, has finally officially found its owner.

The Korea Sports Association sent an official letter to the Korea Tennis Association on the 19th to notify the association of its approval as the president of the Korea Tennis Association. The term of office is from this day to the day before the regular general meeting in 2029.

The Tennis Association was designated as a management organization in 2024 and held a by-election for the chairman without obtaining approval from the Korean Sports CouncilI spent about a year.

On September 6, 2023, former chairman Chung Hee-kyun resigned after various allegations of corruption. The Tennis Association tried to hold a by-election in October of that year, but the Korean Sports Council blocked it. The Korean Sports Council pointed out that the composition of the tennis association's electors was wrong.

Since then, the Tennis Association has drifted without a head, even under audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection. The Tennis Association began operating under the acting chairman Son Young-ja.

The Tennis Association held another by-election in June and appointed Chairman Joo Won-hong. However, the KOC did not approve it. The problem was about 4.6 billion won in debt owed by the Tennis Association. The Korean Sports Council judged that the Tennis Association lacked the ability to repay its debts. The KOC designated the Tennis Association as a governing body in July.

Things eventually went to court. The Tennis Association filed a provisional injunction to suspend the effectiveness of the governing body. When the Seoul Eastern District Court ruled in favor of the Tennis Association in October, the Korean Sports and Olympic Committee effectively lost its cause.

The Korean Sports Council later reviewed in detail whether to approve Joo Won-hong as chairman. Eventually, as Chairman Joo Won-hong received official approval, the Tennis Association started normalization.

dhhan@sportschosun.com