Park Ji-sung, Lee Young-pyo rule out KFA presidential bids

The K-Football Innovation Committee, formed to reshape Korean football, held its first meeting Monday and officially launched.

The committee was constituted as announced, with co-chairs Choi Hwi-young and Park Ji-sung joined by KBS commentator Lee Young-pyo, TVN Sports commentator Park Joo-ho, Korea Sports Council President Yoo Seung-min, Korea Football Association Executive Director Kim Seung-hee, Korea Professional Football League Secretary-General Jo Yeon-sang, attorney Yoo Young-geun and Pukyong National University professor Kim Dae-hee.

Minister Choi said the committee was "created on the premise that it must be a temporary body until the next KFA executive leadership takes office," adding that Park Ji-sung, Lee Young-pyo and Park Joo-ho were invited as members because they "command trust and respect in football and sports, and will not run in the election for the next KFA president."

However, co-chair Choi Hwi-young, the minister of culture and sports, stepped down from the co-chair position and will participate only as a member. In his opening remarks, Choi said, "Now that a forum for full-scale discussion has been established, I hope sports and football figures will take the lead. I will step down from the chair role and participate only as a member. The government will do its best to provide support from behind."

Korea Sports Council President Yoo Seung-min was appointed to fill the vacant co-chair position. "I feel a sense of responsibility as a member of the sports community for the development of Korean football and the restoration of public trust," Yoo said, adding that he accepted the role "with the intention of sharing responsibility" after receiving the minister's proposal.

Yoo clarified the committee's scope, saying the Korea Football Association is an affiliate of the Korea Sports Council but must also follow FIFA regulations. "The innovation committee is not involved in personnel matters. We decided to participate in order to work together toward development," he said.

Co-chair Park Ji-sung said he was grateful for the opportunity, adding, "Football is just one sport, but I have come to realize how much attention and love the public has for it. We should have worked harder and done better, but we fell short."

Park pledged that former players on the committee — himself, Lee Young-pyo and Park Joo-ho — would approach their work with a sense of responsibility. "Rather than simply viewing things through the eyes of a footballer, we will examine the possibilities with an administrative perspective and do our best to produce good proposals," he said.

He also stressed the importance of implementation, saying the most critical question was "how much of the committee's proposals will be reflected and put into practice" — emphasizing not only the drafting of reform measures but their actual execution.