Translation result.
[The Public=Reporter Kim Young-il] KFA president Jeong Mong-gyu reportedly skipped the press conference and went to a golf course on the day the national team’s final roster for the World Cup in North and Central America was announced.
Critics noted the contrast with the Japanese Football Association president, who attended his team’s roster announcement alongside the coach and outlined the team’s plans.
News1 reported on the 19th that Jeong visited a golf course in Gangwon Province on the 17th with acquaintances.
That day, manager Hong Myung-bo unveiled the final 26-player roster for the North and Central America World Cup, which included Son Heung-min.
A KFA official told News1 that Jeong did not deliberately avoid the event. The official said his absence was an internal decision made in light of the situation surrounding the national team and the association, adding that having Hong Myung-bo and Jeong appear together on screen could have a negative effect on fan sentiment.
The official also said past KFA presidents rarely attended roster announcement press conferences in person.
The association had also discouraged Jeong from attending the team’s departure for the tournament for the same reason, saying images of the president alongside the coach might not help build momentum ahead of the World Cup.
On the day of the roster announcement, the KFA said it was not aware of Jeong’s personal plans because it was a Saturday and that he had a long-standing engagement with acquaintances. The association said Jeong watched the press conference via YouTube Live from a quiet location rather than attending in person.
Meanwhile, JFA president Tsuneyasu Miyamoto attended Japan’s final roster announcement press conference on the 15th at Tokyo’s JFA House alongside manager Hajime Moriyasu and director Masakuni Yamamoto.
Photo: Yonhap News
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