KFA chief Chung Mong-gyu formally launches bid for 4th term

The incumbent national football chief Chung Mong-gyu formally launched his bid for a fourth term Monday, despite mounting public pressure to step aside.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) said Chung submitted his declaration of intent to register as a candidate for president of the national football body earlier Monday. The election is scheduled for Jan. 8 next year.

As the incumbent KFA president, Chung had to declare his intent to run 50 days before the end of his current term on Jan. 21, 2025. Chung’s duties were automatically suspended Monday, and Vice President Kim Jeong-bae will serve as interim president until the new leader is elected.

As part of his reelection bid, Chung also asked the Commission for Fair Play in Sport at the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) on Monday to review his application for a fourth term as the KFA president.

According to KSOC regulations, heads of national sports federations seeking reelection beyond the second term must be approved by the fair play commission. The commission will review Chung’s bid based on his contributions to the KFA over the years and South Korea’s performances at international events on his watch, among other criteria.

Chung, 62, was first elected to the KFA’s top post in January 2013 after beating out three other candidates. He ran unopposed in the next two elections.

This time, should the KSOC give him the go-ahead, Chung will be up against Huh Jung-moo, former head coach of the South Korean men’s national team, who once worked for Chung as vice president of the KFA.

Candidates must complete their registration during a three-day window, from Dec. 25 to 27. Chung is expected to hold a press conference around that time to formally announce his pursuit of a fourth term.

Chung has been under immense pressure to resign in recent months, with his detractors pointing to unfair and opaque processes in hiring the past two men’s national team head coaches: Jurgen Klinsmann and Hong Myung-bo.

In particular, the controversy surrounding Hong’s appointment in July prompted the sports ministry to launch an investigation into the KFA’s operations.

In announcing its final findings of the monthslong probe on Nov. 5, the ministry demanded the suspension of Chung from his duties. Instead of acting on the ministry’s demand, the KFA said Monday it will appeal the ministry’s findings sometime this week.