"To Restore Trust, Current Situation Must Be Resolved" Emphasized
Also Expressed Willingness to Participate for the Future of Korean Football
Park Ji-sung, Chairman of the JS Foundation, recently expressed his willingness to help if there is a proper role to play amid the Korea Football Association losing public trust due to an unfortunate incident. On the 8th, Yonhap News reported that Chairman Park Ji-sung urged the football association to reform at the 'JS Foundation Talent Student Sponsorship Event' held at the Suwon World Cup Stadium WI Convention. At this event, Park Ji-sung emphasized, "For the football association to regain trust, the current situation must be clearly resolved." He added, "There has been no change compared to July," and stated, "The future of the Korea Football Association and Korean football will be determined by how this incident is concluded."
Park Ji-sung, chairman of the JS Foundation, recently expressed his willingness to help if there is an appropriate role to play amid the Korea Football Association losing public trust due to recent unfortunate incidents. Yonhap News
Meanwhile, Chairman Park said, "Through the media, I have witnessed the reasons why many citizens are angry about the football association-related news such as the national audit," and expressed his willingness to participate based on his experience if it helps the association. Above all, he stressed, "The association president must manage competent staff well and be honest," indirectly criticizing Chairman Chung Mong-gyu's leadership. He also pointed out the recent supportive remarks made by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and AFC President Sheikh Salman for Chairman Chung Mong-gyu, saying, "Both organizations only show a principled stance," and criticized, "The association keeps showing the same image without change, and it is regrettable that only the association seems unaware of this fact."
Chairman Park also made critical remarks toward the association in July. At that time, he said, "Trust has declined, and it will take a considerable amount of time to recover it," and demanded, "To regain trust, we must speak the truth and move forward." Back then, Chairman Park publicly criticized the upper management of the association, mentioning the 'resignation of the association president' and the 'reversal of the national team coach appointment.' Park’s rare direct remarks, despite his usually extremely cautious speech, caused a significant stir in the football community.
Earlier, the football association was audited by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism due to issues such as the lack of transparency in the appointment process of coach Hong Myung-bo, the inappropriateness of pardoning disciplined football personnel, and false subsidy applications for the Cheonan Football Complex Center. In particular, on the 5th, the Ministry requested severe disciplinary actions, including suspension of qualifications, against Chairman Chung Mong-gyu, Executive Vice Chairman Kim Jeong-bae, and Technical Director Lee Im-saeng. However, the association rebutted the audit findings in a statement, saying, "It is difficult to agree with the criticism that regulations were violated and procedural defects were confirmed during the coach appointment process." They then announced their intention to request a re-examination of the audit and adopted a 'holding out' stance.
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