S. Korea to have pro footballers' union

SEOUL, June 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's professional football players will organize a union to defend their rights and enhance working conditions, a lawyer helping the establishment of the union said Wednesday.

Park Ji-hoon, a lawyer who also works for local research group Center for Sports Culture, said South Korea's professional players union will get an approval from FIFPro, the international pro footballers' union, on Thursday at its Asia-Oceania Congress in Seoul.

FIFPro represents more than 65,000 players worldwide, including stars like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, and has more than 60 national players' associations as its members.

Park added that its preparation committee for the union was formed in December and it submitted documents to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Monday to establish the union as a legal entity. So far, 192 players from the first-tier K League Classic and the second-division K League Challenge have said they are willing to join the union.

FIFPro Secretary General Theo van Seggelen said in a press release, "Korea is a very important football market and we need to establish measures that protect players in the country."

kdon@yna.co.kr
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