Cho Becomes New KFA Head
By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
Cho Chung-yun has become the 51st president of the Korea Football Association (KFA).
In an election held in Seoul Thursday, Cho, the current vice president of the organization, got 18 votes out of 28 to beat fellow candidate Heo Seung-pyo, 62, who is another former KFA vice president.
The 63-year-old Cho will succeed Chung Mong-joon, who is a FIFA vice president and has led the KFA since 1993, to head the football governing body for four years.
``I am really thankful to all for voting me to be the president,'' he said. ``I will try my best not to lose sight of my aims and intentions.''
Cho played for the youth national team while he was a student at Korea University in 1965 and managed Ulsan Tigers from 1983 to 1985.
He also worked for the Korea Broadcasting System (KBS) for 10 years as a commentator.
While serving as general secretary of the KFA from 1998 to 2003, Cho, a native of North Chungcheong Province, contributed to the hosting of the World Cup in 2002 and the building of the National Football Center (NFC) in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, which helped fortify his status as the next KFA headman.
``I am willing to listen to voices from seniors and juniors and I will embrace people who did not support me, as well as those who backed me to develop South Korean football,'' he added.