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Seven Chosen to be Inducted into the Korean Soccer Hall of Fame

Seven Chosen to be Inducted into the Korean Soccer Hall of Fame

Posted March. 17, 2005 22:54,   

한국어

“The Asian Iron Man” Kim Yong-shik (deceased), “Iron Wall Guard” Hong Deok-young (84), “the Asian Panther” Lee Hoe-taek (59, Vice President at Korea Football Association (KFA)), “Brown Bomber” Cha Bum-kun (52, Suwon Samsung Head Coach)

They are the best stars in Korean Soccer’s 123 years of history.

The Korea Football Association held a deliberation council to name the above four on March 17 as candidates to become the first players inducted into the Korean “Soccer Hall of Fame.”

The deliberation council also chose “the living witness of the history of Korean soccer,” Kim Hwa-Jib (96), KFA president Chung Mong-jun (54), and the former head coach of the Korean National Soccer Team, Gus Hiddink (59), who led the team to the semi-finals at the Korea-Japan World Cup in 2002, as the nominees for the contributors category. President Chung’s induction will be made after his term as the president of the association.

The Korea Football Association plans to include a “Soccer Hall of Fame” within the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup Commemoration Hall that is to be built inside the Seoul World Cup Stadium in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, and display the figures and profiles of these first inductees by May 31. The inductees will be given medals, honorary memberships to the KFA advisory council, and free lifetime passes for soccer matches hosted by KFA.

Mr. Kim Yong-shik, who passed away in 1985, led his team to victory at the Joseon National Soccer Tournament four times, playing for Gyeongshin Junior High and Boseong College. Also, he was called Asia’s first technician while playing for the national team, and participated in the 1954 World Cup held in Switzerland.

Mr. Hong Deok-yong, who served as the main goalkeeper at the Swiss World Cup, played for Korea University and Joseon Textile, and took part in the King’s Cup 1971 as the head coach of the national team. Vice President Lee Hoe-taek was a shooter of the national team from 1966 to 1977, scoring 32 goals in international A matches. Coach Cha Bum-kun played for Germany’s Bundesliga for 11 years as a striker, scoring 98 goals.



Soon-Il Kwon stt77@donga.com