The timing is strange again. HDC, the holding company of HDC Group headed by Chung Mong-kyu, chairman of the Korea Football Association, and HDC Hyundai Industrial Development, its flagship subsidiary, have joined hands with KFA. There is no choice but to call it a “partner contract” that foresees Chung’s fourth consecutive term.
KFA announced on the 23rd that it has signed a new official partner contract with HDC and HDC Hyundai Industrial Development.
The contract period is from June 1 to May 31, 2028.
In the future, HDC and HDC Hyundai Development have various rights that official partner companies have. At each level of national team games hosted by KFA, A board advertisements, electronic board advertisements, and promotional activities can be made, and corporate promotion activities can be made using the national soccer team.
We are happy to be able to create the growth and success of Korean soccer together, said Chung Kyung-koo, CEO of HDC. “We hope that HDC and HDC Hyundai Industrial Development will be closer to fans who love soccer and sports through this partnership.”
Kim Jung-bae, KFA’s full-time vice chairman, said, “We will work harder to create a happy Korea where soccer is shared with our partners.”
The announcement of the partnership is enough to be suspected that Chairman Chung was signed for a fourth consecutive term.
It may be a positive development that KFA, which has been suffering from financial difficulties due to the Cheonan Football Center’s construction, has welcomed a large company as its partner, but the company’s decision is often taken as a deliberate partnership to boost Chung’s power. KFA Chairman Chung Mong-gyu is the head of HDC. In addition, Hyundai Industrial Development is the affiliate that HDC Group gives the most power to.
The joining of the two KFAs, which are closely connected to Chairman Chung, raises reasonable doubts that they are suggesting his bid for a fourth consecutive term.
Soccer fans who wanted Chung’s resignation to open the door to Korean soccer reform would not have wanted to hear it.
Last year, Chairman Chung decided to pardon 100 people who participated in various misconducts including match-fixers, but withdrew the pardon amid criticism. Since then, he appointed incompetent coach Jurgen Klinsmann as the head coach of the A team, leaving a “black history” in the Korean soccer history, in which the A team was eliminated from the semifinals of the Asian Cup due to the loss against Jordan.
Chung was elected as an executive member of the AFC at the 2024 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) General Assembly on Wednesday. His term ends until the 2027 regular general meeting. Rather than responding to his demand for resignation, he has strengthened his power internationally. This appears to be a move taken by a person who has in mind to resign.
From the third term, the head of a sports organization must pass the deliberation by the Sports Fair Committee of the Korea Sports Council. If the head of the organization takes the position of an executive of an international organization, it is highly likely that he will pass the FTC’s deliberation. 메이저놀이터
When asked about his fourth consecutive term at a news conference in February, Chung said, “At the 2018 general meeting of the Korea Football Association, we changed the articles of association to limit his term as president to three consecutive terms. However, the Korea Sports Council and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism did not approve it. I will substitute my answer with that,” revealing his ambition indirectly.
Football fans’ ominous premonitions are growing over Chairman Chung’s move to develop his power without paying attention.