Chairman Lee Ki-heung Approved for Third Term Challenge
"Administrative and Financial Measures Planned"
On the 12th, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism expressed "deep regret" over the Korea Sports Council's Sports Fairness Committee's decision to proceed with the reappointment review of Lee Ki-heung, the president of the Korea Sports Council.
The ministry criticized, "It is unfair for the Sports Fairness Committee, appointed by the Korea Sports Council president, to review its own reappointment, calling it a 'self reappointment review.'"
The ministry stated, "Despite multiple criticisms from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the National Assembly, and the media regarding the unfairness in the composition and operation of the Fairness Committee, the Korea Sports Council ignored these and pushed forward with the review," adding, "We have lost trust in the fairness and self-purification ability of the Korea Sports Council." It further said, "We will promote legal and institutional improvements to entrust the reappointment review of sports organization executives to an independent body and strengthen disciplinary jurisdiction."
The ministry pointed out, "Currently, about 70% of the review criteria are unrelated to the articles of association or lack relevance to sports." It emphasized that the current review indicators include attendance rates of executives, disciplinary records, and awards unrelated to sports, which undermine fairness.
Lee Ki-heung, President of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, is giving a business report at the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee's audit of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee held on the 22nd of last month.
President Lee Ki-heung is currently under investigation following a probe by the Office for Government Policy Coordination for serious allegations including instructing the unfair hiring of his daughter's friend and the private use of sponsored goods. Accordingly, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism suspended his duties on the 11th in accordance with the Act on the Management of Public Institutions.
In response to the suspension notice, President Lee filed a lawsuit to cancel the suspension and a provisional injunction to stay the execution at the Seoul Administrative Court, and at the Sports Fairness Committee meeting held that day, he was approved for a third term challenge. The election for the Korea Sports Council president is scheduled for January 2025.
The ministry stated, "We plan to take administrative and financial measures commensurate with the unfair behavior of the Korea Sports Council," and added, "We will do our utmost until the end to restore fairness and common sense in Korean sports."
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