Sports minister reaffirms plan to deny beleaguered football chief 4th term

Sports Minister Yu In-chon on Monday reiterated his plan to deny Korea Football Association (KFA) President Chung Mong-gyu his fourth term, as his ministry is finalizing its probe into operations at the national football governing body.

Yu was asked football-related questions during the annual inspection of government agencies by the National Assembly’s committee on culture, sports and tourism.

In announcing interim findings of its investigation into the KFA last Wednesday, the ministry said the football body had violated several rules when it hired Hong Myung-bo as new head coach of the men’s national team. The ministry also said it did not think Hong’s contract should be voided at this point.

Yu said the ministry will release final results of the probe at the end of October.

“Before we launched the probe, I said if the hiring process had been unfair, then they should start again,” Yu said, responding to questions about Hong’s hiring. “And my stance has not changed. I think they have to go back and follow a fair process. From our perspective, we will ask them to go through a fair process.”

Chung, who has been at the KFA’s helm since 2013, has been under mounting pressure to resign. Yu has tried to nudge Chung toward stepping down and once said in a radio interview that it would be the “honorable” thing for Chung to do.

Chung has been sidestepping questions about his future. His current term is scheduled to end at the end of 2024 and he is expected to go for another term in 2025.

While testifying before the parliamentary committee on sports on Sept. 24, Chung dodged multiple questions about his future, only saying he will ”leave all possibilities open.”

On Monday, Yu said he would not accept Chung’s fourth term even if the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) approves it.

“We will order the KSOC to rectify that, and if that doesn’t work, then we will not give the final stamp of approval,” Yu said. “We cannot force the KFA to change its president, and it has to take care of its own business. But we will continue to think about follow-up measures that we can have.”

However, the sports ministry does not have the right to authorize appointments of heads of national sports federations. The KSOC has the final say.

An official with the sports ministry said Yu meant that he would exercise his supervisory authority to keep Chung from serving as the KFA’s chief again.

Amid the ministry’s investigation into the KFA, FIFA sent a letter to the KFA late September to warn the South Korean body of possible sanctions for violating its obligation to operate independently.

FIFA made a reference to Article 14, Paragraph 1 (i) of the FIFA Statutes, which states that member associations have an obligation “to manage their affairs independently and ensure that their own affairs are not influenced by any third parties.”

Yu said FIFA’s action was nothing out of ordinary and that the ministry would ensure it would not infringe on the KFA’s independence.

Some lawmakers wondered about the timing of the letter, pointing out that it was sent as the sports ministry was about to finalize its investigation. Democratic Party Rep. Min Hyung-bae suspected the KFA had deliberately leaked information to FIFA so that the global body would be compelled to send the letter.

“I have not yet confirmed how the letter was sent but I will look into it,” Yu said.