Wonju Mayor Ku Ja-yeol on Monday called on the Wonju City Sports Association to undertake sweeping operational reforms and develop its own remedial measures.
Speaking at a press briefing, Ku said the city, which oversees the sports association under the National Sports Promotion Act, has taken a serious view of the various controversies that have arisen in the association's operations.
"Local sports associations are core institutions that expand public participation in sports and drive regional athletic development, so their members are required not only to have professional expertise and organizational management skills, but also a high standard of accountability and integrity," he said. "Following ongoing controversy over the appropriateness of a former secretary-general's appointment, allegations of corruption related to the bidding process for team uniforms have now escalated into a full investigation, severely damaging public trust in the association."
Ku urged the association to take the initiative in developing fundamental improvements to prevent such problems from recurring. He said the hiring process for the secretary-general position must be overhauled with fairness and transparency as the top priorities, ensuring that qualified candidates with the necessary expertise and capabilities are selected through an open recruitment process.
"Once a judicial ruling on the uniform bidding matter is finalized, strict follow-up measures must be taken in accordance with relevant regulations and procedures to restore organizational discipline," he said. He added that the city would strengthen its supervisory role to ensure all residents — through recreational sports, competitive sports, and programs for youth and the elderly — can equally enjoy the benefits of physical activity through transparent and fair sports administration.
Ku also pointed to structural and operational failures, noting that Wonju, with a population of 370,000 — the largest in Gangwon Province — finished fourth at the provincial sports games. "We need to hire someone with the expertise and capabilities befitting a city of 370,000 through a transparent process," he said.
Meanwhile, Ku said the city would also reform the governance and decision-making structure of the Wonju City Volunteer Center, bring in more board members with relevant expertise, and dispatch city civil servants to strengthen cooperation among the city, the center and volunteer organizations.
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