Football commentator Park Moon-sung. [Newsis]
Football commentator Park Moon-sung. [Newsis]

Football commentator Park Moon-sung publicly responded Monday for the first time to an open letter of questions from Kim Byung-ji, chief executive of Gangwon FC, pushing back against each of Kim's claims.

Writing on Instagram, Park said he wanted to "first correct some basic facts" before addressing Kim's queries.

Park said he left journalism in 2009, meaning he was no longer a reporter when the Korea Football Association's corporate card misuse scandal surfaced in 2016. "At the time I was no longer a journalist, so I was not in a position to cover or deal with the KFA as a reporter," he said.

He also denied showing interest in a KFA vice presidency in 2023. "I never expressed interest in the KFA vice presidency in 2023, nor did I receive any related offer," Park said. He added that after appearing as a witness at a National Assembly hearing, some people suggested he join the KFA and push for reform from within — to which he responded on air that nothing would change under Chairman Chung Mong-gyu.

On his involvement in the selection of a head coach for the Soongsil University football team, Park said the school approached him to serve on a management committee while the coaching position was vacant. "The coach was selected through an open recruitment process, open interviews, open scoring and open deliberation. There was a separate committee chair, and I was just one of several committee members," he said. "If I was negligent in my duties as a committee member during the selection process, I should be criticized for that — but I genuinely do not understand why carrying out the appointment process through proper procedures would be a problem."

Park pushed back sharply against references to his child. "I would like to ask what my activities in the public sphere have to do with my child's personal life," he said. "Did I use my position or influence to seek improper benefits for a family member? Two entirely separate matters should not be lumped together as if they were one."

Regarding a gathering on Jan. 31, 2020, Park said it "was a normal occasion attended by around 10 people." He added that he had confirmed this not only from his own memory but also by checking again with others who were present, and that photographic and video records exist.

Park told Kim to cooperate fully with any probe into the allegations against him and offer his own account. "Claiming that someone else has problems does not make the allegations surrounding CEO Kim disappear," he said.

He said that if Kim deflects from the core issues — the various problems and allegations surrounding the KFA and Kim himself — by turning them into a personal dispute, Kim "will find it hard to avoid criticism for muddying the waters."

Park said the approach "cannot help but look like a classic frame shift — attacking the person who raised the allegations rather than addressing the allegations themselves, in order to cloud the issue." He described the tactic as "watering things down" or "moving the goalposts."

Park also criticized what he called personal pressure and attacks directed at him for having appeared as a witness at a National Assembly hearing. "It could be seen as treating the authority of the National Assembly and its legitimate legislative activities with contempt," he said.

Park noted that about two years ago he was also forced to step down from his commentary role after criticizing the KFA at the Assembly. "If there are problems, they should be discussed and debated openly, and those responsible should be held accountable," he wrote. "It is disheartening to see the pattern of intimidating and silencing critics apparently repeating itself."

He also referenced a recent incident during Assembly hearings in which former KFA Chairman Chung Mong-gyu sent a private text message to one of the hearing committee members. "It is even more dispiriting to see an attempt to resolve things through other means without even verifying the basic facts," Park said.

Park closed his post with a message to Kim. "We should each focus on what we have been given to do. CEO Kim, please live your life — I will live mine. I sincerely wish you well," he wrote.


min3654@heraldcorp.com