Following South Korea's men's football coach Hong Myung-pyo, South Korea's Football Association chairman Jung Myung-kwe also stepped down from his position.
According to Yonhap News Agency's report on July 6, the Korean Football Association stated that Chung Myung-wook submitted his resignation after presiding over the last meeting. He said that he had always been committed to the development and honor of Korean football, but he also caused disappointment among the nation. He attributed all his honors and achievements to the players and fans, while taking all shortcomings and mistakes as his own responsibility. In the future, he will continue to support Korean football as a passionate fan.
In January 2013, Zheng Mengkui became the 52nd president of the Korean Football Association, and served in that role for four consecutive terms. According to Article 23 of the Korean Football Association's charter, after Zheng Mengkui leaves office, one of the association's vice presidents will assume the presidency of the football association with the approval of the Korea Sports Association.
Zheng Mengkui - Profile Photo
On June 28th, during the World Cup group stage in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Congo (DRC) defeated Uzbekistan 3-1. As a result, South Korea dropped from the best third-place position and missed out on the knockout stage. In this World Cup, South Korea finished with 3 points after winning 1 game and losing 2 games in the group stage. The team ranked 34th also achieved its worst performance in World Cup history.
On the same day, South Korea's national football team coach Hong Myung-pu voluntarily announced his resignation.
Hong Myung-pu said at the press conference: 'I sincerely apologize to the citizens who support the national team. I will step down as the coach of the national team. Being the head coach of the national team is not an easy decision. I believe that the only way forward is to carry out the responsibilities I have until the end. I cannot say that every judgment I make is correct, but I can say that every judgment is for the sake of Korean football.'
According to Yonhap, the South Korean team was eliminated in the group stage of this World Cup, causing strong dissatisfaction among the local population. Calls for reforms in the football industry are growing louder. On July 3rd local time, the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that a new agency will be established to promote football reforms.
On July 6th, the 'South Korean Football Innovation Committee' (also known as the K-Football Innovation Committee, hereinafter referred to as the Committee) was officially established.
The committee is co-chaired by Minister of Culture, Sports, Tourism, Choi Hyeong-yeon, and FIFA commissioner and former national football player Park Ji-sung. The establishment ceremony was held at the Olympic Park Hotel in Songpa District, Seoul, on that afternoon, and the committee officially began operations. As a temporary institution, the committee will study key issues such as improving governance systems, strengthening the training of youth players, and introducing advanced technologies in response to the reforms proposed by the football community after the World Cup in Mexico, USA, and Canada. The committee aims to develop reform plans to enhance the future competitiveness of South Korean football.
