Former FIFA vice president Chung Mong-joon makes surprise visit to Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games
Summary
Chung Mong-joon visited Nagoya, Japan, on Friday to encourage Korea’s under-23 football team at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The former KFA president and FIFA vice president praised Korea’s recent form after its 4-0 win over Vietnam. He also said he was in Nagoya only to watch football and declined to explain why he traveled there.
Key Facts
- Chung Mong-joon is chairman of the Asan Foundation and served as Korea Football Association president from 1993 to 2009.
- He was elected FIFA vice president in 1994 and served in that role until 2011.
- Chung watched Korea’s second group-stage match against Vietnam at Nagoya Mizuho Park Rugby Stadium.
- He described Korea’s 4-0 victory over Vietnam and a previous 3-0 win over Ecuador as good news for the public on Chuseok.
- He said Korean football needed to do better going forward after the 2026 FIFA World Cup group-stage exit, the resignation of former KFA President Chung Mong-gyu and allegations of referee misconduct.
Chung Mong-joon, left, chairman of the Asan Foundation, watches the quarterfinal match between Korea and Vietnam in the men's football tournament at the 2026 Asian Games at Nagoya Mizuho Park Rugby Stadium in Nagoya, Japan, Friday. Korea Times photo by Kim Hyung-jun
Chung Mong-joon, chairman of the Asan Foundation, former president of the Korea Football Association (KFA) and vice president of FIFA from 1994 to 2011, visited Nagoya, Japan, where the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games are underway, to encourage Korea's under-23 national team. He praised the team, saying, "Korean football has been playing very good football lately."
Chung made a surprise visit to Nagoya Mizuho Park Rugby Stadium on Friday to watch Korea's second group-stage match against Vietnam in the men's football tournament at the Asian Games.
His appearance was unexpected, since he had personally attended the Suwon World Cup Stadium the previous day in Korea for the first match under new Korean national team coach Robert Moreno.
Speaking to the Hankook Ilbo shortly after Korea's 4-0 victory over Vietnam, Chung said, "I arrived in Nagoya today," adding, "I have no particular business here other than watching football."
Asked to offer a few words of encouragement for Korean football as it begins a new chapter under Moreno, Chung smiled and said, "We have been playing very good football lately."
His remarks came after Moreno's team secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Ecuador in an international friendly the previous day, followed by Korea's 4-0 win over Vietnam at the Asian Games.
Kim Ji-soo celebrates with teammates after scoring the team's second goal during the men's football quarterfinal match against Vietnam at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Mizuho Park Rugby Stadium in Nagoya, Japan, Sept. 25. Yonhap
Chung went on to say, "Isn't today Chuseok? I'm delighted that we can deliver such wonderful news to the public on this holiday," expressing satisfaction with the results of both the international friendly and the Asian Games match.
He declined to answer questions about why he had traveled to Nagoya just one day after attending the international friendly.
Asked what kind of new leadership Korean football needs after the national team's group-stage elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, the resignation of former KFA President Chung Mong-gyu and allegations of referee misconduct, Chung paused before saying, "We need to do better going forward."
Chung served as president of the KFA for 16 years, from 1993 to 2009, overseeing major achievements including jointly hosting the 2002 FIFA World Cup with Japan. In 1994, he was elected vice president of FIFA, where he also played an active role on the international stage.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.
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