Park Ji-sung to Co-Chair Korean Football Reform Committee

박지성 JTBC 해설위원. 김희준 기자

 

Former Manchester United midfielder and FIFA committee member Park Ji-sung has been appointed co-chair of the newly launched K-Football Innovation Committee, a body established to drive wide-ranging reforms in South Korean football following growing criticism of the sport's governance.

Speaking at the committee's inauguration ceremony in Seoul on Sunday, Park apologized on behalf of the football community and called for the Korea Football Association (KFA) to become a model for reform across South Korean sport.

"As a member of the football community, I feel both sorry and grateful," Park said. "Football people should have recognized the tremendous interest and support the public has shown our sport and responded by doing better."

He added: "Football is one of the most popular sports in Korea. There have been times when we rewarded that support with strong performances, and times when we did not. We have now reached a point where we can no longer continue in the same way. I hope this serves as an opportunity for the Korea Football Association to become a leader in showing the direction all sports in Korea should take and to create a positive impact. I'm grateful to contribute to that first step."

Park will co-chair the committee alongside Korean Sport & Olympic Committee President Yoo Seung-min.

Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Choi Hwi-young, who had originally been scheduled to serve as co-chair, announced that he would step down from the leadership role and instead participate as an ordinary committee member.

"I will step down as co-chair of the K-Football Innovation Committee from this moment and participate as a committee member," Choi said.

The committee also includes former internationals Lee Young-pyo and Park Joo-ho, both of whom enjoyed successful careers in Europe, as well as former KFA executive director Kim Seung-hee, Korea Professional Football League secretary-general Cho Yeon-sang, lawyer Yoo Young-geun and professor Kim Dae-hee.

The committee will discuss key issues including governance reform, youth development and the adoption of advanced technologies, and is expected to operate until the next executive leadership of the Korea Football Association is established.