Seoul, South Korea – The Korea Football Association (KFA) has been dealt a setback in its efforts to ensure a transparent and fair presidential election, as the Central Election Commission (CEC) has declined its request to oversee the voting process.

The KFA had approached the CEC earlier this month seeking assistance in managing the election, which was originally scheduled for early January but was postponed following a court injunction. Both candidates in the race, Huh Jung-moo and Shin Moon-sun, had called for the CEC to oversee the election to ensure its impartiality.

However, in a notification sent on [date], the Jongno District Election Commission, which handled the KFA's request, cited its heavy workload as the primary reason for denying the request. The commission is currently overseeing the nationwide election for the heads of Saemaul Neighborhood Savings Banks, scheduled for March 5.

Additionally, the commission noted that even if it were able to take on the KFA's election, the Public Organization Election Entrustment Act places limitations on the scope of its oversight. The law stipulates that the entrusted organization, in this case, the KFA, must still be responsible for certain tasks, such as compiling the voter list.

As a result of the CEC's decision, the KFA will now proceed with forming a new election management committee. The association held an emergency board meeting on [date] to discuss the matter and plans to finalize the committee's composition early next month. The specific election schedule will be determined by the committee.

The KFA's initial request for the CEC's involvement was driven by concerns over the fairness and transparency of the election process. The previous postponement and the ongoing disputes between the two candidates had raised questions about the impartiality of the association's internal election management.

With the CEC's involvement now ruled out, the KFA will need to work diligently to restore public confidence in the election process and ensure that it is conducted in a free and fair manner.