"I will change things moving forward."

Newsis reported that Yoo Seung-min, chair of the Korea Sports Council, mentioned during the 1st board meeting of the Korea Sports Council held on the 27th at the Grand Hyatt Seoul in Yongsan, that the approval of Chung Mong-kyu as chair of the Korea Football Association (KFA) is likely to conclude soon. He noted, "I have requested a legal review and the self-sustaining efforts of the Football Association and have received all related materials."

Chung Mong-kyu, chair of the KFA, received overwhelming support with 156 votes out of 183 in the election for the 55th chair of the Korea Football Association on the 26th of last month, defeating candidates Heo Jung-moo (15 votes) and Shin Moon-seon (11 votes). This translates to an overwhelming approval rate of 85.25%.

However, the approval from the Korea Sports Council has not yet been granted. The approval of the KFA chair, which is an affiliated organization of the Korea Sports Council, requires a review by the Korea Sports Council’s Division of Sports Development and must be signed off by Chair Yoo. On the 5th, Chair Yoo attended a full meeting of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee and stated, "(The approval of Chair Chung) must be done according to the regulations and principles."

Ultimately, he said that if there are no disqualifying reasons, he would approve. Given that Chung Mong-kyu received overwhelming support from the football community, it is predicted that the approval will proceed without issues. Immediately after being elected, Chung Mong-kyu has been moving busily.

Chung Mong-kyu officially began his duties by visiting the construction site of the Korea Football Center located in Cheonan on the 2nd. He reportedly inspected the site alongside Park Sang-don, mayor of Cheonan, to review the progress and understand the current status. He also attended both A matches in March.

According to Newsis, Yoo Seung-min, chair of the Korea Sports Council, said, "Even if Chair Chung is approved, the Korea Sports Council will diligently assist in ensuring a forward-looking and healthy structure that the Football Association and the public can accept through thorough monitoring."

Regarding Chair Chung's approval, Yoo Seung-min of the Korea Sports Council stated, "Once the approval is granted, I will actively consult with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to address any conflicts that arose last year between the Ministry and the KFA."

In fact, the approval from the Korea Sports Council is not expected to be a problem. Once Chair Chung is formally approved, he needs to quickly address the issues surrounding Korean football. One pressing concern that emerged during the A match period in March was the pitch condition. The low-quality turf at Goyang Stadium during the Oman game (1-1) and at the Suwon World Cup Stadium during the Jordan game (1-1) was cited as one of the reasons for the underwhelming performance.

In the Oman match, the team’s ace Lee Kang-in was injured due to the turf issues. Back Seung-ho also faced difficulties as he collapsed early in the game. Although the turf condition was better in the Jordan match compared to the Oman match, players still expressed dissatisfaction.

Team captain Son Heung-min after the match remarked, "I hate to bring this up again, but since it’s a home game, we should have the best possible environment. If the turf is a hindrance, where can we possibly gain an advantage?" He emphasized the importance of details, stating that "the difference between earning 1 point and 3 points can hinge on the turf."

Lee Jae-sung also said, "The turf condition was poor in the Oman match as well, and there were regrets this time too. While we could have performed better, we also need environmental assistance." Of course, while poor turf cannot be solely blamed for subpar performances, it is crucial to provide the best possible conditions for the national team players.

The next day, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that it will conduct a comprehensive investigation of the turf conditions at 27 football stadiums where K League matches are held, in response to the recent controversies regarding the turf management that affects players' performances.

Currently, the Ministry and the federation have specially established a turf management department within the federation and have begun investigating advanced cases in countries like Japan. Starting in April, they will examine K League stadiums to analyze the problems and causes of turf conditions during the first half of the year and devise tailored improvement measures for each stadium.

In particular, they plan to develop practical improvement measures considering the characteristics of the stadiums and climate conditions, including replacing old turf, improving the quality of artificial turf, and managing heating and drainage systems, while also proposing long-term turf maintenance guidelines and strengthening on-site inspections.

A policy official from the Ministry stated, "The condition of the stadium's turf is directly related to players' performance, injury prevention, fan satisfaction, and the overall quality of the matches," adding that "through this investigation, we aim to derive practical measures to improve the turf conditions and will strengthen cooperation and communication with the federation, clubs, and stadium operators to establish a continuous management system."

Chung Mong-kyu also tweeted after the Jordan match, "I watched all of Korea's games. Although the results are disappointing, it seems that our players and coaching staff are the most disappointed. Thank you for performing well despite imperfect conditions. I hope we can solidify our spot in the World Cup in the June matches."

He added, "I also want to thank the fans who cheered us on despite the chilly weather. I will work with those involved to quickly adjust to the various comments and suggestions from around us."

Although the Ministry and the federation are stepping up regarding improvements to turf conditions, ultimately, it is the KFA's responsibility to create the optimal environment for the national team. Korea will conclude their remaining third qualification matches on June 5 against Iraq and June 10 against Kuwait. It will be interesting to see how Chair Chung, awaiting approval, will address the pressing issue of turf in Korean football.

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