President Lee Considers Direct Online Election for Sports Organization Leaders Including Football Association: "Tremendously Innovative"

President Lee Jae-myung is presiding over the Cabinet meeting held at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the 11th. Photo by Yonhap News

The government is considering a plan to prohibit the reappointment of sports organization leaders and to change the election method to an online direct voting system. The direct election system will first be applied to the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, and then gradually extended to other sports associations such as the Korea Football Association. President Lee Jaemyung described the plan as "tremendously innovative" and instructed officials to also review imposing term limits.

On the 11th, President Lee presided over a Cabinet meeting at the Yongsan Presidential Office, where Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwiyeong reported on these "innovation measures for sports organizations."

The plan includes amending the articles of association to limit the term of the president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee to a single reappointment, making it impossible to serve more than two consecutive terms. Minister Choi explained, "We will ensure that there is no recurrence of criticism that leaders wield power for life."

Under the new plan, the election of sports organization leaders will be changed from an indirect system, in which a small group of electors chooses the leader, to a direct voting system in which all members have the right to vote, with an online voting system to be introduced as well. This means that not only executives but also active athletes will be able to participate in electing the president.

However, the direct election system will first be implemented at the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee. Minister Choi explained that it will then be gradually applied to 17 regional sports committees and 68 sports associations, including the Korea Football Association.

President Lee urged that not only reappointment but also non-consecutive terms should be limited. He proposed, "If someone serves two consecutive terms, takes a break, and then returns, shouldn't there be a limit on the total number of terms?" He emphasized, "Executive power should fundamentally be subject to term limits. That is the national consensus."

Additionally, the government will institutionalize a system in which members of the Sports Fairness Committee, who could previously be appointed at the discretion of the president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, will now be recommended by six external organizations, including the Korean Bar Association. If an executive commits misconduct, disciplinary action will be handled by a higher-level organization, making it mandatory and preventing self-imposed lenient punishment.

Minister Choi criticized, "There have been concerns that the unique authoritarian and closed culture of the sports community leads to irrational decision-making and systematic cover-ups," adding, "Now is the time for the sports sector to change in order to regain public trust."