S Korea Powerbroker Chung Renews FIFA Presidential Bid

South Korea's Chung Mong-joon, a former FIFA vice president and powerbroker of Asian football, said he would decide on whether to run "after meeting with prominent figures in international football and listening to their opinions".

outh Korea's Chung Mong-joon, a former FIFA vice president and powerbroker of Asian football, said on Wednesday (Jun 3) he was considering entering the race to replace Sepp Blatter as president of world football's governing body.

Chung, a billionaire scion of Korea's Hyundai group, was a long-time critic of Blatter and had hinted at a challenge for the presidency before losing his own position on the FIFA executive board to Prince Ali bin al Hussein of Jordan in 2011.

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Addressing a press conference in Seoul, Chung said he would decide on whether to run "after meeting with prominent figures in international football and listening to their opinions".
Chung joins an unofficial shortlist of possible candidates to replace Blatter that includes the likes of UEFA president Michel Platini and Chung's former rival Prince Ali, as well as football greats like Brazil's Zico and Portugal's Luis Figo.
Nobody has formally declared their candidacy, although French football legend-turned-politician Platini is the best known of the potential runners.
Following his shock resignation announcement on Tuesday, Blatter said he would remain in office until a new election is held - sometime between December this year and March 2016.
Chung could prove a genuine candidate as he retains enormous influence within Asian football and certainly has the financial clout to run a strong campaign.
Korea Football Association chief from 1993 to 2009, Chung helped bring the FIFA World Cup to South Korea for the first time in 2002, with Japan as a co-host.
In his remarks to reporters, the 63-year-old stressed that the election process should be "transparent and fair" and suggested that anyone seen as having "unfairly benefitted" from close ties to Blatter should be excluded from running.
"The nepotism and exclusivity prevalent under Blatter was the source of all corruption within FIFA," he said.
In 2002, Chung was one of a number of executive committee members who actively campaigned against Blatter's re-election, backing African rival Issa Hayatou and accusing the FIFA president of misusing funds.