'Not Running for Next KFA President' Park Ji-sung, After 2-Hour Discussion at K-Football Innovation Committee: "Restoring the Collapsed Trust in the Football Association Cannot Be Done Under the Current System" [Q&A from the Scene]

*This content was translated by AI.

The newly launched 'K-Football Innovation Committee' announced that Park Ji-sung (45), a member of the FIFA sub-committee, will focus on laying the groundwork to restore fans' lost trust.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism held the 'K-Football Innovation Committee' meeting at 3 p.m. today in Berlin Hall, 4th Floor, Olympic Parktel, Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul.

Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Choi Hwi-young, committee member Park Ji-sung, commentators Lee Young-pyo and Park Ju-ho, sports industry figures including Yoo Seung-min Han Che-yuk-hoe (Chairman), Korea Football Association Executive Director Kim Seung-hee, K-League General Secretary Jo Yeon-sang, lawyer Yoo Young-geun, Kim Dae-hui (Prof.), and other sports officials and experts participated.

Before the meeting today, committee member Park Ji-sung opened his remarks by saying, "As a footballer, I am sorry and grateful for the situation up to now." He continued, "I once again felt that while football is just one of many sports, the national interest and love for it are immense. Given that, footballers should have strived even harder, but failing to do so was extremely regrettable," as he bowed his head.

Referencing the recently concluded 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, Park Ji-sung emphasized the need for change. "Korean football has always shown its best effort, but through this World Cup, it seems we have hit a limit that we cannot continue with the methods we have used so far," he said. He added, "I hope that through this opportunity, Korean football will transform into an organization that leads the direction all sports should take and makes a positive impact."

After about two hours of discussion, committee member Park Ji-sung met again with reporters to explain the results of the Innovation Committee's discussions on KFA reform and future vision.

-What discussions took place within the Innovation Committee?

▶We discussed reforming the immediate governance of the Football Association and a future vision for sustainable football development. Regarding governance, all committee members agreed that an election must be held through democratic procedures involving numerous footballers to restore public trust. Under the serious recognition that the current system is insufficient, the association decided to actively accept the discussion points and proactively request consultations with the Korean Olympic Committee. Going forward, the Innovation Committee plans to meet once a week to discuss governance and future vision.

-Will the discussions of the Innovation Committee be binding on future association policies?

▶Currently, they are not binding. Since it is not an affiliated organization of the association, its nature is primarily advisory. However, given the presence of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Olympic Committee, we can assist in moving in a positive direction by providing administrative support and active cooperation. There is no mandatory binding force requiring the association to implement these discussions.

-Is there concern that this may violate FIFA regulations prohibiting government intervention?

▶From the very beginning of launching the Innovation Committee, I considered this point first. Players should not suffer harm, so such an occurrence must not happen. We considered and started with this aspect from the initial stage. The Innovation Committee is not an organization that can intervene politically or take action; therefore, the Football Association is participating in the committee to discuss together. Please view this as a process of creating an initial step to restore fans' lost trust.

-What is your stance on the decision by Innovation Committee members not to run for the next KFA presidency?

▶Had we entered with the intention of running for president, there would have been a high possibility of being interpreted differently. We judged that planting the idea that one could become president through Innovation Committee activities is unfair. We believed it was necessary to clearly draw a line and participate, and all participants, including myself, entered with this clear understanding.

-How does the Innovation Committee plan to coordinate various opinions from footballers going forward?

▶I do not believe this Innovation Committee will exist indefinitely. It is not a stage where the committee continues to exist and participates in or discusses all association situations. In the current situation, the role of the Innovation Committee is to provide the right direction and help restore the collapsed trust system, even if only slightly. Ultimately, the full-scale process of building fans' trust and moving forward will begin with the steps taken after a new president arrives. When the next president proceeds through administrative procedures, we will play a role in helping the initial stage so that fans can have the belief that 'the association can now change.'

-Was improving the selection of the national team coach also part of the discussion?

▶No. Today, we focused primarily on governance issues. The Power Strengthening Committee should handle the selection of the coach first, and there is almost no room for external organizations to intervene. During that process, many problems arose, leading to a loss of fans' trust, which the association is well aware of. If the same mistakes are repeated, we will be completely lost. We hope the association itself successfully initiates the process of building trust through transparent procedures.

-Were there any specific discussions regarding improvements to the KFA president election system?

▶Since it was a short meeting lasting about two hours, I cannot immediately state exactly what will be done. I can only say that we had comprehensive discussions on what we can propose within complex administrative procedures and the articles of association, and what the association can accept and actively pursue.

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*This content was translated by AI.