Kim Na-mi, Secretary General of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC), has announced her resignation after sparking controversy over inappropriate remarks directed at the family of an athlete who fell unconscious following an accident during a competition.
The KSOC announced Thursday that "Secretary General Kim Na-mi has expressed her intention to resign, taking responsibility for the recently raised issue."
Through the committee, Kim said, "I deeply apologize to the public and the sports community for the concern caused by this matter," adding, "As a public official, I feel a heavy sense of responsibility and will step down from my position."
Kim became embroiled in major controversy after remarks she made to the family of a middle school boxer, identified as A, were made public. A has remained unconscious after collapsing from a punch during the Presidential Cup National Boxing Championship in September last year.
Immediately after the accident, Kim had told A's parents she would "take 100% responsibility," but later reversed her position, refusing support and making inappropriate remarks.
According to a transcript reported by the media, Kim described A's condition by saying, "The child had no chance from the beginning. He is already brain-dead. The probability of waking up now is…" — characterizing a condition that even medical staff had not definitively determined.
She went further with remarks that appeared to suggest organ donation, saying, "We really don't want to compare with such cases, but at a marathon event, one person died in an accident and the family donated the organs."
When the victim's parents attempted to record the conversation in preparation for any eventuality, Kim also said, "I felt extremely offended, to the point of wondering whether they were trying to cash in on what happened to their son."
As the controversy spread, KSOC President Ryu Seung-min hurriedly returned from an overseas business trip, suspended Kim from her duties on Monday, and initiated disciplinary procedures. Kim expressed her intention to resign just three days after her suspension.
Deputy Secretary General Shin Dong-kwang will serve as acting Secretary General. The new Secretary General will be appointed after being nominated by the KSOC president, followed by board approval and endorsement by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The committee stated, "Recognizing the gravity of this matter, we intend to focus all our capabilities on restoring public trust by re-examining our systems to ensure athlete protection functions operate without gaps, enhancing public ethics awareness, and thoroughly managing organizational discipline."
Kim, a former national alpine skiing team member, won 88 national championship titles and served as Vice President of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and as a member of the bid committee for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. After leaving the sports world, she had been running a Korean restaurant in Germany with her German husband before being persuaded by KSOC President Ryu to return to her home country to take on the important role of Secretary General.
