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Hong Myung-bo
SportFootball

South Korean football reform group led by Park Ji-sung, Ryu Seung-min criticised

Head of local body, who supports outgoing KFA president Chung Mong-gyu, attacks ex-national footballers, Olympic table tennis champion

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Chung Mong-gyu (right) and former national team head coach Hong Myung-bo (left) received plenty of criticism after South Korea's dismal World Cup performance. Photo: Korea Times
SCMP Sport
An attempt by former South Korea national football team players and athletes to bring nationwide reforms to the country’s football had turned into some ugly scenes as parties with entrenched interests openly criticised and questioned the new committee on Thursday.

Led by former national team players including Park Ji-sung, Lee Young-pyo and Park Joo-ho, as well as Ryu Seung-min, who is president of the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee and a former table tennis player who won the men’s singles gold medal at the 2004 Olympic Games, the “K-Football Reform Committee” was pushing for a direct election system for the next president of the Korean Football Association (KFA) after some dismal performances saw the Korean national team eliminated in the Fifa World Cup group stage for the third time in four recent editions.

However, the parties supporting outgoing president Chung Mong-gyu, who is set to step down prematurely next Monday after the World Cup final, did not hold back when commenting on the committee.

“What would Park Ji-sung and Lee Young-pyo know [about forming] a reform committee?” said Seo Gang-il, president of the Jeonbuk Football Association. “They were national team players in football, but how well have they lived their lives? How much do they know of the law, and how much social experience do they have to be reform committee chairs?

“Instead of just criticising, why don’t they run in the election themselves?”

Park Ji-sung (left) and Ryu Seung-min (middle) at a K-Football Reform Committee meeting. Photo: Handout
Park Ji-sung (left) and Ryu Seung-min (middle) at a K-Football Reform Committee meeting. Photo: Handout

Seo also expressed vehement opposition to the reform committee’s move towards “direct elections”, saying: “Why is it necessary to amend the articles of association when a by-election should be held within 60 days in accordance with the current association by-laws?

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