Lawmakers banned from heading sports bodies in Korea

More than 100 lawmakers have been banned from doubling as chief of a sports body or concurrently working for profit-making organizations. (Yonhap)

(Yonhap) — More than 100 lawmakers have been banned from doubling as chief of a sports body or concurrently working for profit-making organizations, parliamentary officials said Friday.

The National Assembly’s ethics screening and advisory committee recently informed the lawmakers of its decision to ban the practice amid concerns the additional jobs could disrupt their legislative activities, the officials said.

The ban, backed by parliamentary law, comes as South Korea seeks to establish basics and principles in the wake of a deadly ferry sinking last month. Corrupt dealings between regulators and businesses as well as a general neglect of duty are seen to have led to one of the nation’s worst maritime disasters, leaving more than 300 people dead or missing.

Those subject to the ban include Rep. Lee Byung-suk of the ruling Saenuri Party, who heads the Korea Baseball Association, and Rep. Choi Kyoung-hwan of the same party who heads the Women’s Korean Basketball League.

From the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy, Rep. Jun Byung-hun was banned from heading the Korea e-Sports Association, along with Rep. Shin Geh-ryeun, chief of the Badminton Korea Association, among others.

The committee, however, made exceptions for lawmakers whose concurrent jobs were deemed to carry national significance or have a minor impact on their legislative activities.

Rep. Moon Dae-sung of the ruling party was allowed to remain a member of the International Olympic Committee, while Chung Mong-joon, the ruling party candidate for Seoul mayor in the upcoming June 4 local elections, was allowed to retain his positions as honorary president of the Korea Football Association and honorary vice president of football’s world governing body, FIFA.

The National Assembly has begun to accept formal objections from those subject to the ban and plans to finalize its decision based on the appeals, officials said.