"We must uproot all cancerous old habits." How can the trust in Korean football, which has collapsed completely, be restored? [Founding Issue ③]

*This content was translated by AI.

Korean football is facing chaos and crisis. From the collapse of the national team system to the mass resignation of top officials, and the disorganized administration of the Football Association still drifting without a clear exit. StarNews examines the causes of the crisis facing Korean football and diagnoses the path toward restoring broken trust and achieving normalization. Editor's Note

"This must be treated not as reform but as innovation, uprooting all cancerous old habits."

Lim Min-hyuk, who played professionally in K-League before entering politics, diagnosed the path to revitalizing Korean football this way. He had recently advocated for the establishment of the Republic of Korea Football Innovation Committee. His argument was that the entire Korean football system must be transformed at the level of innovation, and for that, the Football Association itself must prepare a bone-cutting reform plan.

Lim Min-hyuk emphasized, "In the current system where a few entrenched interest cartels control everything, it is no longer possible to expect a future. This is because youth players, parents, and coaches—the very roots of Korean football—continue to suffer on the field. If the roots are damaged, healthy fruit can never be produced." These expressions precisely captured the desperate reality of Korean football's collapse and the urgent need for innovation beyond mere reform.

From controversies over the appointment processes of former coaches Jürgen Klinsmann (Germany) and Hong Myung-bo to debates on the sudden pardons of match-fixing offenders and other football-related scandals, and even allegations of past sexual hospitality by referees that only emerged after more than a decade. It is no exaggeration to say that public trust in Korean football and the Korea Football Association has completely collapsed. However, we cannot give up on football. Despite this, football must start anew, and for that, restoring broken trust is absolutely essential.

Many eyes are focused on the 'K-Football Innovation Committee,' launched last July under the leadership of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. This reflects both high expectations for Korean football innovation and perhaps a sense of urgency that this could be the final opportunity. With Park Ji-sung (45), a legend of Korean football and FIFA committee member, and Yoo Seung-min (44), who previously led the sports community after securing three consecutive terms as president of the Korea Sports Council by championing innovation and change, now taking on Gong Dong-wi (Director), fan expectations have grown even larger.

A senior official from a K-League club stated, "Considering the history and scale of the Korea Football Association, the ages of Park Ji-sung and Yoo Seung-min (Chairman) as leaders of an organization that must drive change are extremely young and unprecedented." He added, "However, seeing cases like Seo Sang-il (President of Jeonbuk Football Association), who was severely criticized by public opinion after giving interviews questioning what Chairman Park Ji-sung knows, I believe the public's expectations for the current Innovation Committee are immense, and times have changed significantly."

The K-Football Innovation Committee is prioritizing reform of the presidential election system. When Jeong Mong-gyu (Chairman) was first elected in 2013 during the 52nd Korea Football Association presidential election, the electoral college consisted of only 24 members. Subsequently, the 53rd presidential election had 106 members, and the 54th and 55th elections had 192 members. Through this process, Jeong Mong-gyu (Chairman) succeeded in securing a fourth term.

Notably, during the 55th presidential election held at a time when public criticism of Jeong (Chairman) reached its peak, with fans chanting "Jung Moon-gyu out" in A-match stadiums, he succeeded in securing a fourth term with an overwhelming 88.71% support rate, sparking controversy. There was a strong voice that to eliminate the so-called football cartel, the electoral college must be drastically expanded, moving closer to direct elections. The Innovation Committee reached a consensus that the number of electors, currently limited to a maximum of 300 in the Association's bylaws, should be increased to between 10,000 and 20,000. They viewed reforming the presidential election method as the starting point for innovation in Korean football and the Korea Football Association.

However, a key issue is that the Innovation Committee is strictly an 'advisory body.' This means that regardless of any conclusions reached by the committee, the Football Association is not obligated to follow them unconditionally. Furthermore, recent reports suggest that FIFA or the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) are monitoring the Innovation Committee's activities, with predictions that FIFA may visit Korea directly to inspect their work. FIFA strictly prohibits third-party intervention, including government involvement, in football association operations and can impose sanctions for violations. There have already been cases where sanctions were imposed due to government interference in football association management.

Ultimately, the key lies in how much the Korea Football Association and the broader football community are willing to comply with the winds of change. The degree and speed of restoring trust that has completely collapsed will inevitably depend on the level of effort made and how significantly the situation changes. If they resist the direction of the Innovation Committee or attempt to build another cartel behind FIFA, the opportunity for reform in Korean football will be lost entirely.

Park Ji-sung of the Innovation Committee Gong Dong-wi (Director) also stated, "It is a clear fact that we are facing an unfavorable situation," adding, "(As a result) what consequences we may face is not something I can easily predict." However, he emphasized, "What is certain is that given this situation, we must consider how to restore trust and move forward in the future."

A senior figure in the football community remarked, "Criticism that Korean football and the Korea Football Association must change is nothing new. But they have never changed. There may be people in football who think 'this too shall pass' again this time. However, I hope they realize this time is different. I hope they think so. This is not about whether football is played well or poorly. The entire Korean football system is in crisis. We must change with the resolve that there will be no second chance."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.