KB News Desk
Amid mounting calls to reform South Korean soccer following the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will launch the K-Soccer Innovation Committee on Monday, the ministry announced Friday.
The committee will be a temporary body aimed at reforming South Korean soccer, with Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young and retired Korean soccer star Park Ji-sung, who is a member of the FIFA Men’s Football Stakeholders Committee, serving as co-chairs.
The committee brings together a diverse group of soccer figures and experts, including former national team players Lee Young-pyo and Park Joo-ho, Korean Sport & Olympic Committee President Ryu Seung-min, and Korea Football Association Executive Director Kim Seung-hee.
Together, the group will focus on key tasks to enhance the future competitiveness of South Korean soccer. Core objectives include improving Korean soccer governance, advancing youth development programs, and integrating cutting-edge technology systems. Minister Chae has recently held meetings with various stakeholders to align on these strategic goals.
The committee’s launch comes as the government intensifies scrutiny of Korean soccer’s governance. Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young announced Monday that the ministry would conduct a special audit of the Korea Football Association over what he called the incompetence, mismanagement and complacency behind Korean soccer’s recent failures, a day after President Lee Jae Myung pledged to examine the controversial 2024 process through which the KFA named Hong Myung-bo as national team manager.
Co-chair Park Ji-sung expressed his commitment, saying, “Through this committee, we will incorporate various concerns from the field to design a path forward for South Korean soccer and envision a future where K-soccer can grow sustainably.”
Minister Chae added, “We will provide robust support to ensure that a new vision for South Korean soccer is established by trusted soccer figures and effectively implemented on the ground.”
