Former FIFA vice president Chung Mong-joon makes surprise visit to Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games

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.

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.

Published Sep 27, 2026 2:21 pm KST

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.

周五，韩国足协前主席兼国际足联副主席郑梦准访问日本名古屋，为参加爱知-名古屋亚运会的韩国U23足球队加油助威。在韩国队4-0战胜越南队后，郑梦准对韩国队近期的出色状态表示赞赏。他还表示，自己此行名古屋只是为了观看比赛，并未透露此行的具体原因。

郑梦俊是峨山财团的会长，曾于1993年至2009年担任韩国足球协会主席。

他于 1994 年当选国际足联副主席，并担任该职务至 2011 年。

郑泫在名古屋瑞穗公园橄榄球场观看了韩国队与越南队的第二场小组赛。

他将韩国队4比0战胜越南队以及此前3比0战胜厄瓜多尔队的比赛描述为中秋节期间公众的好消息。

他表示，在2026年国际足联世界杯小组赛出局、前韩国足协主席郑梦圭辞职以及裁判不当行为指控之后，韩国足球需要在未来做得更好。

发布于2026年9月27日下午2:21（韩国标准时间）

周五，在日本名古屋瑞穗公园橄榄球场举行的2026年亚运会男子足球四分之一决赛中，峨山财团会长郑梦俊（左）正在观看韩国对阵越南的比赛。（韩国时报 金亨俊 摄）

韩国峨山财团会长、韩国足球协会前主席、1994年至2011年担任国际足联副主席的郑梦准访问了正在举办2026年爱知-名古屋亚运会的日本名古屋，为韩国U23国家队加油助威。他称赞球队说：“韩国足球近来踢得非常好。”

周五，郑泫出人意料地来到名古屋瑞穗公园橄榄球场，观看韩国队在亚运会男足比赛中对阵越南队的第二场小组赛。

他的出现令人意外，因为前一天他亲自前往韩国水原世界杯体育场，观看了韩国国家队新任主教练罗伯特·莫雷诺执教的首场比赛。

在韩国队以 4-0 战胜越南队后不久，郑在接受《韩国日报》采访时表示：“我今天抵达了名古屋，”并补充说，“我来这里除了看足球比赛之外，没有其他特别的事情要做。”

当被问及对莫雷诺执教下韩国足球开启新篇章有何鼓励之言时，郑泫笑着说：“我们最近踢得非常好。”

莫雷诺发表这番言论之前，他的球队在前一天的国际友谊赛中以 3-0 大胜厄瓜多尔，随后韩国队在亚运会上以 4-0 战胜越南。

9月25日，在日本名古屋瑞穗公园橄榄球场举行的2026年爱知-名古屋亚运会男足四分之一决赛中，金智秀在攻入球队第二球后与队友庆祝。比赛对手是越南队。（韩联社）

郑泫接着说：“今天不是中秋节吗？很高兴我们能在这个节日里向公众宣布如此好消息。”他对国际友谊赛和亚运会比赛的结果都表示满意。

他拒绝回答为什么在参加完国际友谊赛后仅仅一天就前往名古屋。

当被问及在韩国国家队于 2026 年北美世界杯小组赛出局、前韩国足协主席郑梦圭辞职以及裁判不当行为指控之后，韩国足球需要什么样的新领导层时，郑梦圭停顿了一下，然后说：“我们需要在未来做得更好。”

郑义宣从1993年至2009年担任韩国足协主席长达16年，在他的领导下取得了多项重大成就，包括与日本联合举办2002年国际足联世界杯。1994年，他当选为国际足联副主席，并在国际舞台上发挥了积极作用。

本文来自《韩国日报》（《韩国时报》的姊妹报），由人工智能生成系统翻译，并由《韩国时报》编辑。