Chung Mong-gyu resigned as Korea Football Association (KFA) president as a government-backed reform committee launched to reshape governance, youth development and leadership.
Chung Mong-gyu, who resigned from the position of Korea Football Association's president, leaves the national team hotel in Guadalajara, Mexico, on June 28.NEWS1
Chung Mong-gyu resigned as president of the Korea Football Association (KFA) and the government's football reform committee officially launched Monday, marking the start of a broader effort to overhaul Korean football.
A committee to reform Korean football, dubbed "K-football Innovation Committee," was launched and held its first meeting on Monday, just a few hours after Chung stepped down.
With no president, the KFA will shift to an acting president system. Under Article 23 of the association's bylaws, one of its vice presidents will assume the president's duties after receiving approval from the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee.
While Chung had announced he would step down after the World Cup amid wide-ranging criticism from football fans, his resignation came sooner than planned after Korea's group-stage elimination on June 28 prompted calls for new leadership.
More than a year remained in Chung's term, which was set to run through 2029, and the KFA is required to elect a new president within 60 days. The association said it will proceed with preparations for the presidential election under the acting leadership.
But how the election will be conducted remains uncertain.
President Lee Jae Myung wrote on X on June 28 that Korea's failure to advance to the round of 32 at the World Cup "appears to have resulted from failures in the organization's management and personnel decisions," while stressing the need to introduce direct elections for leaders of sports organizations.
The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee is also moving to revise its election rules. It is expected to discuss amendments to its bylaws at its general assembly meeting set for July 16, including expanding the electoral college.
Amid need for structural changes, former national team star Park Ji-sung was brought as a co-chair of the football innovation committee. Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young will also chair the committee.
Park Ji-sung, right, co-chair of the football innovation committee, speaks during the committee's launch on July 6. To his left are co-chair and Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Chae Hwi-young and committee member Yoo Seung-min, president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee.JOINT PRESS CORPS
When the committee was announced last Friday, it identified improving football governance, youth development and the adoption of advanced technology systems as key priorities for Korean football.
Commentators Lee Young-pyo, who played with Park for the national team in 2002, and former national team defender Park Joo-ho are also part of the innovation committee. Other members include Korean Sport & Olympic Committee President Yoo Seung-min, KFA Executive Director Kim Seung-hee, Korea Professional Football League Secretary General Cho Yeon-sang, attorney Yoo Young-geun and Kim Dae-hee, a professor teaching at Pukyong National University's Department of Marine Sports.
"We will take into consideration the concerns raised throughout the football community to help shape the direction Korean football should take and build a future that allows it to continue growing sustainably," co-chair Park said.
Minister Chae added that the committee will "provide strong support so that a vision for Korean football, centered on trusted football figures, can be established and implemented."
In a statement announcing his resignation, Chung said, "I have devoted myself solely to the development and success of Korean football, but there were times when I caused deep disappointment."
"All of the glory and achievements belong to the players and the fans, while all of the shortcomings and mistakes are entirely my responsibility," he said.
Former Korea Football Association President Chung Mong-gyu, center, watches Korea's Group A match against South Africa at Monterrey Stadium in Mexico on June 24.KANG JUNG-HYUN
Chung was first elected president of KFA in January 2013, and has held the position for 13 years and five months. He is credited with overseeing the construction of the Cheonan Football Center, establishing the division league system, strengthening the association's financial stability through long-term sponsorship and broadcasting agreements and helping Korea qualify for the FIFA World Cup for an 11th consecutive time.
But his tenure was also marked by criticism in the process of appointing the national team head manager. Chung and the KFA came under fire for allegedly not following proper selection processes when bringing Hong Myung-bo on as the head manager.
The Seoul Administrative Court ruled in April that the Culture Ministry's request for disciplinary action against Chung was lawful, finding that he had intervened in the head manager selection process without authority. However, the association has appealed the ruling.
Chung also faced criticism over an attempt to pardon football figures involved in match-fixing. While the KFA announced the pardon in March 2023, it rolled back the decision the same month amid protests from football fans and strong backlash.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
