퇴진 앞둔 정몽규 회장의 마지막 행보: 법적 방어와 월드컵의 현장 사이에서 > 뉴스

According to the legal community, the Seoul High Court accepted the Korea Football Association's application to suspend execution of the request for notification of specific audit results and action filed against the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. This is to suspend the effect of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's request in November of last year for severe disciplinary action of 'higher than suspension of qualifications' against Chairman Chung and other key officials until 30 days from the date of the appellate court's decision on the main case. The court ruled that there was a risk that the disposition would cause irreparable damage to the association, and that there was an urgent need to prevent this. In addition, the fact that it was difficult to find evidence that this decision to suspend execution would cause significant harm to public welfare also served as the main reason for the citation. As a result, Chairman Chung was freed from the immediate disciplinary crisis and secured time to exercise his legal defense rights and continue the appeal.

This is not the first time Chairman Chung Mong-gyu has taken legal action. Thanks to the fact that the court accepted his application to suspend execution even at the time of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's initial request for disciplinary action, he succeeded in his bid for a fourth term and was elected with overwhelming support in February of last year. However, in the first trial of the main administrative lawsuit, the result was different. The Seoul Administrative Court ruled in favor of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, ruling that its request for severe disciplinary action was within the scope of its discretion and could not be considered unfair or illegal. The Football Association appealed the decision and once again applied for a suspension, dragging the legal battle into the second round. According to the Association's Articles of Incorporation, if the President is subject to disciplinary action worse than suspension, he cannot perform his duties. Therefore, it is inevitable for President Chung to fight legally to maintain his position as President for the remainder of his term.

The scene outside the courtroom is quite different. On the 29th of last month, Chairman Chung formalized his intention to resign from his position as chairman in time for the end of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup. Since then, he has been performing his final duties by visiting the World Cup site and directly following the national team's journey. During the first group match against the Czech Republic held at Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico, he sat in the VIP section alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino to watch the game. Immediately after the game, he went down to the ground and congratulated each and every player who achieved a comeback victory. Through social media, the players' fighting spirit and mental strength were highly praised, and a message was delivered to fans asking for their unwavering support and encouragement until the end.

Chairman Chung's actions are generating mixed reviews among the soccer community and fans even after he announced his intention to resign. Some argue that supporting the national team during an important international tournament called the World Cup is his last responsibility as president, but on the other hand, there are still voices of criticism that a person who is not free from past controversies and administrative responsibilities will remain in his position until the end. The noise that arose during the appointment of coach Hong Myung-bo and the controversy over the appointment of former coach Klinsmann still remain issues that Korean soccer must resolve. The extent to which Chairman Chung's statement in announcing his intention to resign, "Our final mission is to support the team to achieve results in the World Cup finals," will reach the public with sincerity will depend on future World Cup results and the administrative finalization process.