In Front of Chung Mong-gyu, "The Chung Mong-gyu Regime Must End"... 'Park Moon-sung Martyr' Resolute Remarks

Commentator Park Mun-sung to Attend National Assembly Inquiry on 24th
Jung Mong-gyu, Football Association President, Faces Sharp Criticism
"Lacks Awareness of Issues, Empathy, and Ability to Resolve"

Regarding the recent controversy surrounding the appointment process of Hong Myung-bo as the head coach of the national football team, Chung Mong-gyu, president of the Korea Football Association (KFA), appeared on June 24 before the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee for a current affairs inquiry. Meanwhile, Park Moon-sung, a football commentator who appeared as a witness, delivered a sharp critique that resonated with football fans. Sitting alongside President Chung, Park criticized, saying, “They do not care about public opinion” and “The Chung Mong-gyu regime should come to an end.”

On that day, Park repeatedly pointed out issues with the administration and operation of the Football Association, stating, “What kept lingering in my mind was ‘Why don’t they care about public opinion?’” He then opened up by saying, “I thought of two reasons why (President Chung and Coach Hong) do not care about public opinion.”

Korea Football Association Chairman Chung Mong-gyu is responding to lawmakers' questions during the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee's inquiry into the Korea Football Association held at the National Assembly on the 24th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

He said, “The first reason is that President Chung and Coach Hong have lived different trajectories from us. President Chung was born into a chaebol family, and Coach Hong grew up as a top elite from a young age. I thought they might have different ways of thinking from ordinary people, so they don’t care about our opinions.” He continued, “The second reason is that outsiders cannot specifically intervene in the Football Association. For example, we (ordinary people) have no involvement in personnel decisions within the Football Association. No matter how much the public or fans shout ‘Chung Mong-gyu out, Hong Myung-bo out’ at the stadium, the Association’s stance is, ‘So what are you going to do about it?’”

He added, “Ordinary citizens cannot be part of the electorate that elects the Football Association president through elections. It’s a so-called ‘gymnasium election.’ They gather only their own people in the gymnasium and vote, so they don’t care about the general fans or public opinion.” He further criticized, “The Football Association does not even care about the members of the National Assembly elected by the people. When the political sphere tries to intervene in the Football Association’s personnel decisions, they threaten, ‘FIFA will ban you from the World Cup.’ If they don’t care about fans or the National Assembly members elected by the people, then whose opinion are they considering? I think this closed organization called the Football Association needs to be opened.”

In response to his remarks, Jeon Jae-soo, chairman of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, said, “There seem to be many parts that the public would sympathize with,” and asked President Chung for his thoughts. However, President Chung instead said that he could not request a correction even though Park had spread incorrect information on his YouTube channel.

President Chung said, “Regarding the appointment of coach J?rgen Klinsmann, you all think I appointed him because I knew him well. I have only met him twice, so why did such misinformation spread?” He added, “Commentator Park Moon-sung here has 600,000 YouTube followers, which is more influential than newspapers or broadcasts, but I cannot request a correction for incorrect content,” diverting the argument. Chairman Jeon responded, “There is a serious mismatch between the answer I want and your response,” and asked again, “Isn’t there a sense of privilege that ‘the history of Korean football is the history of the Hyundai family, and the future depends on Hyundai. We are the main actors, and we have no choice but to do it’?” President Chung replied, “Not at all. I am only thinking about football development. I may lack ability or knowledge and may not do well.”

Jeong Mong-gyu, President of the Korea Football Association (front), Lee Im-saeng, Technical Director of the Association (from the right), Hong Myung-bo, Head Coach of the National Football Team, and Jeong Hae-seong, former Strengthening Committee Chairman of the Association, are seated side by side at the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee plenary session held at the National Assembly on the 24th. Park Moon-sung, a football commentator who appeared as a witness, is seated at the far left. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Afterward, Park said, “Listening today, I felt once again that ‘the Chung Mong-gyu regime should come to an end.’” He added, “There is no awareness of what the problem is. There is no empathy. There is no ability to resolve it.” He made a resolute statement: “The incompetence, lack of principles, and unfairness of the Football Association are not a single incident but will inevitably continue as long as the Chung Mong-gyu regime continues. I think fans and the public have reconfirmed that ‘it’s time for this regime to end.’”

Regarding Park’s remarks that day, football fans responded positively, saying, “A statement of conviction that I deeply sympathize with,” “A sharp critique that pierces the essence of the issue,” and “It was refreshing that someone said what had to be said.” Some even called him “Martyr Park Moon-sung,” with public opinion urging, “The public must watch closely to ensure he does not suffer any disadvantages later.”