'Former K-League Politician' Im Min-hyuk: "Many Problems in Soccer Stem from Members' Carelessness and Laziness"

*This content was translated by AI.

Im Min-hyuk, a former K-League soccer player, stated, "I believe that one of the root causes of many problems occurring in our soccer community is ultimately the carelessness and laziness of its members."

On the 10th, Im added via his social media (SNS), "I also felt a sense of responsibility to admit my own shortcomings and study even harder."

Meeting that day with Han Woong-soo, Deputy President of the Korea Professional Football League, he said, "We had an open and honest two-hour conversation about soccer and life. I believe all policies and systems begin with dialogue." He emphasized, "Sitting at the same table to debate, persuade, deliberate, and sometimes engage in fierce arguments is the starting point for creating good systems."

He continued, "It does not matter who the other person is or what their ideology and philosophy are. If we share the same path and ultimate goal, we must be willing to debate and converse with anyone." He added, "In fact, if our directions differ, we should engage in even more dialogue, debate, persuasion, and fierce argumentation. I believe today's meal was precisely such an occasion."

Im Min-hyuk pledged, "I will deeply internalize Deputy President Han Woong-soo's words that 'in matters of soccer, one must be able to clearly express their opinions on any question.'" He further committed, "Rather than merely raising issues, I will study harder and deliberate more intensely so that proposed alternatives lead to actual changes in policy and systems."

Following the poor performance of South Korea at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, Im Min-hyuk had previously proposed to the Korean Football Association (KFA) the establishment of a "South Korea Soccer Innovation Committee" with full authority to develop radical reform measures. He also submitted a legislative proposal to institutionalize this committee and recommended that the Korean Olympic Committee amend regulations for member sports organizations regarding the election of a new KFA president within 60 days in case of vacancy.

Recently, Im publicly urged the Korea Professional Football League to abolish the cap on victory bonuses, which has remained in place since the COVID-19 pandemic. He stated, "Even temporary caps on victory bonuses should now be relegated to history. We must respect the autonomous agreements between players and clubs and recognize fair compensation for achievements. Professional sports exist so that players can play more, compete more fiercely, and win more."

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*This content was translated by AI.