The Korea Football Association (KFA) held the eighth Pony Chung Foundation-Korea Football Association Scholarship Award Ceremony with the Pony Chung Foundation at the Jongno-gu Football Hall in Seoul, South Korea, on December 12, awarding scholarships to 60 middle school players of both sexes.
A total of 120 million won ($200,000) was given to 49 male players, including Na Han-byul (Seosan SFC), and 11 female players, including Jung Hae-rim (Jinju Girls’ Middle School).
The recipients of the scholarships were selected by the KFA after receiving recommendations from the provincial soccer associations, the Korea Women’s Football Association, and the Korea Professional Football Association for their outstanding skills, growth potential, and overcoming difficult family circumstances.
The Pony Chung Foundation, established in 2005 to carry on the innovative spirit and ‘talent-oriented’ philosophy of the late Hyundai Motor Chairman Emeritus Chung Seyoung, has held an annual scholarship award ceremony with the KFA since 2015.
Players who currently play for the men’s and women’s national teams at various levels, including Jung Sang-bin (Minnesota), Hong Yun-sang (Pohang), and Lee Eun-young (Korea University), received the scholarship when they were in middle school.
The total amount of scholarships handed out so far this year is 960 million won, the largest sports-related scholarship program, the KFA said.
“The late Chairman Chung Seyoung gave birth to the first domestic car, Pony, by challenging the seemingly reckless goal of producing automobiles in the 1970s,” said Chung Mong-kyu, president of the Korea Football Association, in his remarks at the event. “I hope that the athletes receiving scholarships today will also set big goals and become athletes who will not give up in the face of difficulties.” 토토사이트