The K-Football Innovation Committee (Innovation Committee) has initiated discussions on restructuring the election body of the Korea Football Association (KFA) and establishing a youth-centered, phased player development philosophy.
On July 20, the Innovation Committee held its third meeting at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul, focusing on governance improvements aimed at restoring public trust in football and promoting sustainable development.
During a briefing following the meeting, co-chair Park Ji-sung stated that preliminary groundwork for a rational reform of the presidential election system is progressing as scheduled. According to Park, the first phase amendments to the Korean Sports Council's 'charter' and 'regulations for member sports organizations,' which were deemed necessary in the previous meeting, are expected to be completed within this week.
Previously, a charter amendment introducing direct elections for the Korean Sports Council president passed a general assembly vote on July 16 and is now awaiting approval from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Additionally, a proposed amendment to extend the deadline for electing a new president within 60 days of a vacancy was approved by the Sports Fairness Commission on July 20 and will be finalized at a board meeting scheduled between July 21 and 22. This board meeting will also address the extension of the KFA presidential election deadline.
As part of the second phase, the committee agreed to promptly amend the regulations governing member sports organizations, which currently limit the election body to '300 members or fewer.'
The KFA is also preparing its own review plan for restructuring the election body in line with the direction of the Sports Council's regulatory amendments, and discussions were held during the meeting based on the submitted review plan. The Innovation Committee plans to develop specific supplementary measures for further discussion in the next meeting, emphasizing fairness, representation, and feasibility as the key criteria for the election system reform.
Park expressed a strong commitment to overcoming anticipated challenges during the governance reform process. He acknowledged that there may be some resistance due to the necessity for the KFA to comply with the amendments to the Korean Sports Council's regulations, but he assured that such opposition would not derail the reform efforts, stating, 'There will be no regression to the original state due to these objections.'
Meanwhile, discussions on a phased player development plan aimed at sustainable football growth have also been solidified. The Innovation Committee agreed in the previous meeting that establishing a consistent philosophy is urgent for supporting the growth of players, including youth.
Accordingly, the Innovation Committee plans to clarify the phased player development philosophy and review the key projects and necessary budget to implement it on the ground. In the next meeting, relevant organizations will present detailed project contents and budget proposals to establish specific implementation directions.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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