What is the path to the fourth term of Chairman Chung Mong-kyu (63), who was elected based on overwhelming support from the football community?
The 55th Korea Football Association election was held on the 26th at the second floor of the Football Hall in Sinmunno, Jongno-gu, Seoul. On this day, candidate Chung Mong-kyu was confirmed elected with overwhelming support of 156 votes out of 183 cast from the 192-member electoral body. With a vote rate of 85.25%, he literally dominated the other candidates, continuing the Chung Mong-kyu era in Korean football.
Ahead of this election, the Korea Football Association (KFA) under Chung Mong-kyu was shaken like never before. Public sentiment soured drastically due to a series of incidents surrounding the national team head coach position that began right after the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Following the appointment of head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, the Korean football team fell into an unprecedented crisis after a disastrous failure at the 2024 Qatar Asian Cup.
In a situation where confusion continued with the national team without a formal head coach since March, the resignation of former Strengthening Committee Chairman Jeong Hae-sung further delayed the appointment of a new formal head coach. Ultimately, the appointment of head coach Hong Myung-bo was decided, but the worsening public sentiment surrounding that process led to a situation where Chairman Chung Mong-kyu and Coach Hong Myung-bo were called before a National Assembly audit.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced the results of a specific audit on the KFA last November, requesting 'severe disciplinary action beyond suspension of qualification' against Chairman Chung Mong-kyu, who had caused various controversies. The KFA disputed the Ministry's audit results. However, the Ministry did not accept this and concluded with a rejection in a review last month.
The Ministry notified the KFA of a three-day deadline for severe disciplinary action, but the deadline was postponed as the KFA filed an administrative lawsuit demanding cancellation of the request for disciplinary actions beyond suspension of qualification. And with the court granting a suspension of the Ministry's disciplinary action, the election was able to proceed without issues.
The court temporarily suspended the effectiveness of the Ministry's request for severe disciplinary action against Chairman Chung, and the legitimacy of his discipline will be determined in a future lawsuit. According to the KFA's charter, individuals who have received disciplinary actions beyond suspension of qualification cannot be elected as executives.
Following the relevant ruling, if the Ministry's demand for severe disciplinary action is confirmed, Chairman Chung would be in a position where he could not run in the election. However, the election proceeded without problems.
Earlier, Chairman Chung Mong-kyu was elected after winning a comeback victory in a close race against candidate Heo Seung-pyo in the first election for the 52nd president of the Korea Football Association. He easily won the 53rd and 54th terms running unopposed. However, in this election, Heo Jung-moo and Shin Moon-sun emerged as two challengers, leading to an intense election campaign.
In fact, the election initially scheduled for January 8 was delayed once due to protests from some candidates regarding the composition of the electoral body and the election commission. Consequently, the long-postponed election took place on the 26th. As the election was delayed, there was speculation that dark clouds loomed over Chairman Chung Mong-kyu's bid for a fourth term.
Nevertheless, Chairman Chung Mong-kyu actively visited football personnel despite negative public sentiment, consolidating support. By meeting with referees, players, and club officials broadly, he increased his support base. The diligent campaign that overwhelmed other candidates has resulted in an unprecedented landslide victory for Chairman Chung Mong-kyu.
Challenging for a fourth term, candidate Chung Mong-kyu stated in his speech before the election that, "Although I felt regret due to the unfortunate administrative vacancy caused by the election being postponed nearly two months from the originally scheduled January 8 to today, it was also rewarding and appreciative to be able to meet many more football people on the ground."
He added, "There were those who supported me and those who advised me on areas that need to change," noting, "I reflected on the lack of communication over the years. If elected, I will continue to communicate with greater humility." He resolved, "I will strive harder for the future of Korean football with a sense of responsibility greater than anyone else, and I will build a trusted association to restore pride among fans and the public."
Voting, which ended at 4 p.m., revealed results after about 20 minutes of counting. Out of the total electoral body of 192 members, 183 voted (with one invalid ballot), leading to Chairman Chung Mong-kyu winning with 156 votes. Second place went to Heo Jung-moo with 15 votes, and third to Shin Moon-sun with 11 votes. The sentiment of the football community still favored the Chung Mong-kyu administration.
After receiving the certificate of election, Chairman Chung Mong-kyu said, "I want to express my gratitude. It seems that I must work with greater responsibility. I will ensure that I keep each and every promise made to you. I also want to thank Chairman Heo Jung-moo and Commissioner Shin Moon-sun for running this race with me." He further added, "I express my thanks to the journalists. I apologize for the repeated delays of this election. I promise to work diligently on everything, step by step. Thank you."
Due to the election being delayed for nearly two months, Chairman Chung Mong-kyu will carry out his term as president from the moment of his election. However, there are still hurdles to overcome. These include the negative public perception among football fans, conflicts with the related ministry, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, as well as issues such as approval from the Korean Sports Council.
In a similar situation, the Korean Sports Council elected Yu Seung-min as the new president instead of the previous Chairman Lee Gi-heung. The Ministry has no authority to approve the heads of sports organizations. The decision to approve the heads of sports organizations is entirely up to the Korean Sports Council. Referring to the regulations of the Korean Sports Council regarding member sports organizations, Article 22, Section 7 states, "The president of member sports organizations, both full and associate members, must submit the necessary documents to receive approval from the Sports Council."
Previously, the Ministry declared Chairman Chung Mong-kyu's inability to serve a fourth term while announcing its intention to obstruct his tenure. However, if the appeal against the suspension order is also dismissed, there will be no practical means to prevent him. Thus, the official confirmation, the last step for Chairman Chung, is expected to be determined by the Korean Sports Council based on the results of the court's appeal.
[Photo] Football Hall=Reporter Kim Seong-rak, ksl0919@osen.co.kr, provided by KFA.
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