Yoo Seung Min (42), the former president of the Table Tennis Association who announced his candidacy for the next president of the Korea Sports Council, spoke with a confident look throughout the interview.
Former chairman Yoo Seung Min officially declared his bid for the chairman of the sports association when he resigned as chairman at an extraordinary general meeting of the Table Tennis Association held on the 9th of last month.
The reform of the sports association is a hot issue more than ever, as the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recently filed a request for public inspection of the sports association, and the Prime Minister’s Office is investigating the organization’s irregularities. Against this backdrop, a young candidate in his 40s’ declaration of challenge drew attention.
Elections for the next president of the Korean Olympic Committee are scheduled early next year.
Yoo Seung Min, who met at RSM Sports Office in Seocho-gu on the 4th, emphasized his strengths as his experience in domestic and international sports administration, quick adaptation to the new environment, and creative problem-solving ability.
Former President Yoo Seung Min was a gold medalist in table tennis at the 2004 Athens Olympics and has been the president of the table tennis association since 2019. In 2016, he was selected as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and spent time in international sports diplomacy until the end of his term in August. Major achievements during his tenure as the president of the table tennis association are the launch of a professional league, which was the long-cherished dream of table tennis players, and the successful hosting of the Busan World Championship in February.
Former chairman Yoo Seung Min recalled, “The position of the association’s president was vague at first, but I did it because I was close to it. As I bumped into it with my body, I became clearer about my administration.” In particular, about the world championships, which were held for the first time in Korean table tennis history, “Time has passed without the International Table Tennis Association being able to set an exact date for the tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also impossible to apply for a budget to the government and local governments. I explained one by one and got help from many people, and eventually held the competition.”
He also served as the president of the association of table tennis, which has a large population of amateur sportsmen, and administered both elite sports and everyday sports. The Yoo Seung Min continued, “Citizens are really passionate. These days, it is said that it is difficult to have an open run to take lessons from good leaders. But come to think of it, it is because I did not learn sports properly at school when I was young.”
This is the point that Yoo Seung Min emphasizes the most in Korea’s sports policy. “I am determined to visit the Ministry of Education and set up a tent in front of it. We need to change schools,” he stressed.
He even showed the video that he had saved on his cellphone, and continued his words passionately. He said, “It was impressive to watch an American football class at an elementary school in the U.S. while serving as a member of the IOC,” and had saved the video.
“Young students are solidly learning basic skills under good coaches,” he said. “We need to have physical education classes like this, too. Each elementary school selects one or two of its main sports events so that students can learn only one hour after school. If you learn in this way for six years, you will be able to acquire higher level amateurish skills in those events even after you become an adult. If you are more interested, you will be able to become a professional athlete or get the option to enjoy as a hobby. It will be a boost to Korea’s physical education at a time when it is difficult to even provide athletes with low birthrates. It is not something that will happen immediately, but you must start by looking far away.” To that end, he stressed that he should persuade the Education Ministry and have discussions with them beyond the sports association or the Ministry of Culture. 스포츠토토
Immediately after the 2024 Paris Olympics, sports issues are focused on the administrative difficulties of the sports association and some sports organizations. “The unfortunate thing is that the athletes who did well at the Paris Olympics are not in the spotlight due to administrative issues,” former President Yoo said. “The most important thing is that the world of sports must change, but not by external factors like this. Thomas Bach, president of the IOC, always emphasizes the phrase, “Will you change or will you change? We have to change ourselves.”
He also said, “It is time to discuss a new paradigm for financial independence, which is the most important driving force of the sports association.” The move is aimed at introducing K-sports as another area of K-content, such as dramas and popular songs.
Former chairman Yoo suggested, “Why don’t the sports association discover the stories and contents of promising players and players that are not yet known and use them as IP (intellectual property) businesses?” If the system uses various contents such as videos and goods that are ahead of the charm of national team players, the sports association can use the merchandise when a surprise star comes out like Kim Ye-ji (shooting), and the money earned like this can be used to support local sports associations or to foster prospects.
He also said, “It can be an idea for the sports association to manage not only athletes but also Korean leaders who are recognized abroad. Developing this idea will require more efforts with marketing experts, but it is time to seriously consider how to use the image of K-sports commercially. Since I am young, I will come up with fresh ideas from a different perspective.”
