Park Ji-sung, co-chair of the K-Football Innovation Committee, speaks at a briefing after the committee's third meeting at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Monday. [Yonhap]
Park Ji-sung, co-chair of the K-Football Innovation Committee, speaks at a briefing after the committee's third meeting at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Monday. [Yonhap]

Park Ji-sung, co-chair of the K-Football Innovation Committee, has spoken out against recent remarks by Seo Gang-il, chair of the North Jeolla Province Football Association.

Speaking to reporters after the committee's third meeting at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Monday, Park said the backlash against Seo's comments was telling. "These days, people judge and assess remarks made simply to oppose something, without any valid reason. I think his opinion came from his own thinking," Park said. "The fact that so many people reacted negatively to those remarks ultimately proves that it was behavior unbecoming of his position."

Seo, 64, had sparked controversy by publicly questioning the credentials of Park and fellow committee member Lee Young-pyo. "I don't know what Park Ji-sung and Lee Young-pyo know that qualifies them to run the K-Innovation Committee," Seo said. He added that while the two were national team players, they lacked the life experience, legal knowledge and social experience to lead such a body. He also called on them to run directly in the Korea Football Association presidential election rather than "just criticizing from the outside."

The remarks triggered a fierce backlash, with calls for Seo's resignation flooding the North Jeolla Province Football Association's website.

Meanwhile, Park said at the briefing that an amendment to hold a Korea Football Association presidential election "within 60 days" was on track to be completed this week, signaling that reform efforts are moving ahead as planned.


min3654@heraldcorp.com