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Int'l football chief congratulates Korean official on earning FIFA position

By a2016032

Published : May 9, 2017 - 17:11

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Tuesday congratulated South Korean football chief Chung Mong-gyu on earning a position at the global football body.

Chung, head of the Korea Football Association, was elected by acclamation to the FIFA Council on Monday at the Asian Football Confederation Congress in Manama, Bahrain. He will serve a two-year term through 2019.

This image, provided by the Korea Football Association on May 9, 2017, shows the congratulatory letter sent by FIFA President Gianni Infantino to KFA President Chung Mong-gyu, who was elected to the FIFA Council on May 8, 2017. (Yonhap) This image, provided by the Korea Football Association on May 9, 2017, shows the congratulatory letter sent by FIFA President Gianni Infantino to KFA President Chung Mong-gyu, who was elected to the FIFA Council on May 8, 2017. (Yonhap)

Chung had come up short in his first bid two years ago. He's the first South Korean to take a seat on FIFA's supervisory body since Chung Mong-joon, his older cousin and former FIFA vice president.

Infantino sent a congratulatory letter to Chung on Tuesday, saying he believed the South Korean was a perfect fit for the position.

"I have no doubt that your considerable experience, combined with your management and sports knowledge and your human qualities, will help you to overcome all future challenges in the service of the world football community," Infantino wrote, according to the letter provided by the KFA. "I am convinced that, as a FIFA Council member, you will be able to bring your outstanding contribution to FIFA, but most importantly to the development of our beautiful game, which we both love so much."

Also on Monday, Chung was elected the AFC East Zone Vice President at the AFC Congress, a position he will hold until 2019.

Chung, chairman of construction giant Hyundai Development Co., is a veteran sports administrator. He has been at the helm of the KFA since 2013. Previously, he was the commissioner of the K League, which operates domestic professional football competitions. (Yonhap)