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Kim Nami, secretary general of the Korea Sports Council, resigned after drawing public outrage for making inappropriate remarks to the family of an athlete who fell unconscious during a competition.
The Korea Sports Council said on May 4 that “Secretary General Kim Nami has expressed her intention to resign to take responsibility for the recently raised issue.” The council added that Kim “deeply apologizes for causing concern to the public and to athletes” and that she “feels a heavy responsibility as a public official and will step down from her post.”
Kim, who resigned, is a former alpine ski competitor. She served on the organizing committee for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and was vice president of the International Biathlon Union. She also served as vice president of the Korea Triathlon Association and as secretary general of the Sports Talent Development Foundation. In March last year, the council drew attention when it appointed her as its first female secretary general.
Kim faced heavy criticism after audio of her comments to the family of middle school boxer “A,” who collapsed after a punch at the Presidential Cup national boxing tournament and remains unconscious, was released. At the time of the accident, Kim told A’s parents she would “take 100% responsibility.” But in a broadcast interview on the 30th of last month, she expressed a very different sentiment.
A transcript released to the press quoted Kim saying, “I felt so bad I wondered if (A’s) mother was trying to cash in on the accident,” “The child never had a chance. He’s already brain-dead,” and “I don’t want to compare, but someone died in a marathon accident.” Those statements intensified the controversy.
As the controversy spread, Korea Sports Council President Yoo Seung-min cut short an overseas trip and returned to the country. He suspended Kim from her duties on the 1st and launched disciplinary proceedings. Kim announced her intention to resign three days after the suspension.
Deputy Secretary General Shin Dong-gwang will serve as acting secretary general. The council will appoint a new secretary general after the council president nominates a candidate and the board and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism grant approval.
The council said, “Recognizing the gravity of this matter, we will recheck our systems to ensure athlete protection functions without gaps, strengthen public-official ethics awareness, and strictly enforce organizational discipline so that we can focus all efforts on restoring public trust.”
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