What Led to Kim Nami’s Sudden Resignation? A Deep Dive into the Boxing Incident

Daniel Kim 2026.05.05 Views

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[MyDaily = Noh Chan-hyuk] Kim Nami, secretary-general of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC), has resigned after provoking public outrage with insensitive remarks directed at the family of a middle-school athlete who collapsed during a match and has remained unconscious for eight months.

On the 4th, the KSOC officially announced that Kim had submitted her resignation following criticism over inappropriate comments. The resignation came three days after the committee placed her on emergency suspension on the 1st and launched formal disciplinary proceedings.

In a statement released through the KSOC, Kim offered a formal apology, saying, “I deeply apologize for causing concern to the public and to members of the sporting community.” She added that she felt a heavy sense of responsibility as a public official and therefore decided to step down.

The controversy traces back to last September. A middle-school student identified as A, who was competing in the President’s Cup national provincial boxing tournament, collapsed after taking a punch and has remained unconscious since. Kim met the athlete’s family immediately after the accident and pledged, “I will take 100% responsibility,” but comments she later made in a televised interview shocked both the family and the public.

During the interview, Kim said, “The child had no chance from the start. He was already brain-dead.” She then drew an inappropriate comparison, saying, “I don’t want to compare, but there was a marathon where someone died and the family donated organs.” Kim also accused the parents—who recorded the conversation—of trying to benefit from their son’s condition, saying she felt so offended that she suspected they were attempting to profit from the situation.

The KSOC said the incident would prompt an organizational overhaul. The committee acknowledged the seriousness of the matter and said it will review its systems comprehensively to ensure athlete-protection measures work without gaps.

It added that it will concentrate all efforts on restoring public trust by strengthening public-sector ethics and reinforcing organizational discipline.