"Trying to Profit From His Son's Accident?" ... KSOC Secretary General Kim Na-mi Resigns Amid Controversy Over Offensive Remarks

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[Financial News] Kim Na-mi, secretary general of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC), has ultimately resigned after sparking controversy with inappropriate remarks made to the family of an athlete who fell into a coma after an accident during a competition.
On the 4th, KSOC announced, "Secretary General Kim Na-mi has expressed her intention to resign, taking responsibility for the recently raised issues."
Through KSOC, Kim said, "I deeply apologize for causing concern to the public and to everyone in the sports community over this matter," adding, "As a public official, I feel a heavy sense of responsibility and will step down from my post."
Kim came under fire after it became known that she had made harsh remarks to the family of a middle school boxing athlete, identified as A, who was knocked down by a punch during a match at the Presidential Cup National Provincial Boxing Championships last September and has still not regained consciousness.
The backlash intensified after a recording was released in which Kim, who had told A's parents at the time of the accident that she would "take 100% responsibility," later concluded that "the child had no chance from the beginning. He is already brain-dead," and said, "At a marathon event, one person died in an accident, and the family donated the organs."
She was also reported to have made inappropriate comments, saying that she felt "extremely offended, to the point of wondering whether they were trying to make a quick buck from what happened to their son," in response to the injured parents' attempt to record their conversations in case of an emergency.
As the controversy spread over Kim's remarks, KSOC President Ryu Seung-min abruptly returned from an overseas trip. On the 1st, Ryu suspended Kim from her duties and launched disciplinary procedures. Three days later, Kim announced her intention to resign.
KSOC said, "Recognizing the seriousness of this matter, we will thoroughly review our systems so that athlete protection functions operate without gaps, and we will focus all our capabilities on restoring public trust by strengthening public-service ethics and strictly managing organizational discipline."
Kim Na-mi, who has resigned, is a former national alpine skiing athlete. She previously served as vice president of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and as secretary general of the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation. After Ryu Seung-min took office, she was appointed in March last year and drew attention as the first female secretary general in the 105-year history of KSOC.
bng@fnnews.com Kim Hee-sun Reporter