*This content was translated by AI.
The K-Football Innovation Committee has decided to recommend that the Korea Football Association (KFA) increase the number of electors for the Han Chuk-gu-hyeop (Chairman) presidential election to over 10,000. This follows a reform plan by the parent organization, the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC), which calls for a radical expansion of the electoral college for the Han Chuk-gu-hyeop (Chairman) presidency. Considering that when President Chung Mong-gyu Jeon (Chairman) was first elected as KFA president, the electoral college consisted of only 24 members, and the previous 55th presidential election had just 192 electors, this marks a truly 'radical' level of change.
Park Ji-sung, chairperson of the K-Football Innovation Committee, stated at a briefing during the committee's fourth meeting held on the 27th at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul: "We have considered adjusting the KFA electoral college based on the KOC's reform plan for its presidential election, reflecting the specific characteristics of football." He added, "We have prepared a proposal to adjust by adding professional leagues, industrial leagues, university leagues, and promotion/relegation systems to the KOC standards. In this case, the recommended size of the electoral college will exceed 10,000 members." Currently, the number of electors for the KFA Jeong Gwan-sang (Chairman) presidential election is set between 'more than 100 and less than 300.'
When President Chung Mong-gyu Jeon (Chairman) was first elected as Han Chuk-gu-hyeop (Chairman) president in 2013, the KFA electoral college consisted of only 24 delegates. Later, during the 53rd election, players, coaches, and referees were partially included in the electoral college, bringing the total to 106 members. In the 54th and 55th presidential elections, 192 individuals participated as electors. However, since only a 'very small number' held voting rights, criticism of the Han Chuk-gu-hyeop (Chairman) election method grew strong. The fact that in last year's 55th presidential election, which occurred amid peak public distrust toward Jeong (Chairman), a candidate was elected with an overwhelming 85.71% support rate was cited as clear evidence of the so-called 'football cartel.'
This election method and the resulting criticism were not issues unique to the KFA. The parent organization, the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC), had long elected its president through indirect elections, and the KOC's election regulations directly influenced the rules of member sports organizations. Consequently, KOC President Yoo Seung-min has been pushing for electoral system improvements since his inauguration last year. On the 16th, an extraordinary general assembly passed a revision to increase the number of electors for the KOC presidential election from 2,200 to as many as 92,000. In light of this, the KFA, as a member sports organization, must also revise its presidential election regulations to expand the electoral college. Amid these developments, the K-Football Innovation Committee has agreed to increase the number of electors for the Han Chuk-gu-hyeop (Chairman) presidential election to over 10,000.
Chairperson Park Ji-sung added, "We are at the stage of discussing how to apply the KOC's plan as a standard for the KFA and what parts need strengthening or reduction." He continued, "(Expanding the electoral college) from 200 members to over 10,000 is an enormous increase. A significant rise is expected among players, coaches, and other groups. We are discussing revisions to the KOC's member sports organization regulations that serve as the basis for the reform plan and aim to finalize the revision process by August."
Changes in election methods due to the radical expansion of the electoral college size are also under discussion. For instance, during the 55th presidential election when there were only 192 electors, the Seoul Jongno-gu Football Hall served as the polling station, and electronic voting was not possible. However, with a larger number of electors, the introduction of electronic voting becomes inevitable. Although FIFA statutes prohibit electronic voting, some interpretations suggest this rule applies only to elections for the FIFA President, not to affiliated organizations. France's football Koo Hyeop-hoe-neun (Chairman) election has already been conducted via electronic voting. The KOC's election regulations also include provisions allowing electronic voting.
Chairperson Park Ji-sung stated, "We need to consider the introduction of (electronic voting) in all possible scenarios. There may be budgetary issues, and we should discuss which approach is most reasonable." He added, "We are striving to hold the election as quickly as possible. Without Oh Raet-dong-an (Chairman), difficult situations could arise. We aim to propose a good plan through agreement as soon as possible. We are working hard to complete the process as quickly as possible without compromising accuracy or fairness."
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*This content was translated by AI.
