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| Photo provided by the Korea Sports Council |
The Korea Sports Council said on May 4 that Secretary-General Kim expressed her intention to resign, taking responsibility for the recent incident.
The controversy centers on comments Kim made about a middle-school boxer identified as A, who lost consciousness during the Presidential Cup national boxing tournament in Jeju last September and remains unconscious.
According to a report by Mokpo MBC last month, Kim reportedly said, \"The child never had a chance. He's already brain-dead. The odds of waking up now are...\" and compared the situation to a marathon accident in which a person died and the family donated his organs.
She also reportedly said she was so upset that she wondered whether the boy's parents were trying to profit from their son's condition by recording the conversation.
As the fallout grew, the Korea Sports Council issued a statement on April 30 apologizing to the player and family who were deeply hurt and to the public who felt disappointed.
Yoo Seung-min, who had been abroad to attend the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, cut his trip short and returned on May 1. He ordered Kim's immediate suspension and removal of authority and the council promptly launched disciplinary proceedings. Kim ultimately offered her resignation.
In a statement, Kim said, \"I deeply apologize to the public and members of the sports community for the concern this incident has caused. I feel a heavy responsibility as a public official and will step down.\"
The Korea Sports Council said it recognizes the seriousness of the matter and will re-examine systems to ensure athlete protection operates without gaps, strengthen public service ethics, enforce organizational discipline, and focus all efforts on restoring public trust.
[Sports Today reporter Sangpil Lee sports@stoo.com]
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