disappointed by the lack of recognition for his contributions and what he perceived as unprofessional behavior from the Vietnamese sports authorities.
The Sports Authority of Vietnam, under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, confirmed to Tuoi Tre newspaper on Sunday that Park had declined their invitation to extend his contract as the national shooting team’s coach.
In a letter to the authority, the South Korean expert expressed his refusal to attend the contract negotiation meeting scheduled for next Tuesday.
He bid farewell to the national shooting team and thanked the Vietnamese sports officials for their support over the past decade. Personal reasons prevented him from returning to Vietnam, he shared.
According to Tuoi Tre, Park felt disheartened by the behavior of Vietnamese sports leaders towards his significant contributions to the country’s shooting success in recent years. Despite his contract ending on August 31, and the conclusion of the 2024 Paris Olympics on August 11, no discussions were initiated by the authority, sports officials, or the Vietnam Shooting Federation regarding his contract renewal.
Disappointed, Park returned to South Korea immediately after his contract expired. He had served as a foreign expert for Vietnam’s national shooting team for ten years, playing a pivotal role in their success.
His coaching led to Hoang Xuan Vinh winning Vietnam’s first-ever Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Rio Games. He also contributed to Pham Quang Huy’s gold medal victory at the 2023 Asian Games and Trinh Thu Vinh’s qualification for the upcoming Paris Olympics.
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| Coach Park Chung Gun’s expertise helped shooter Trinh Thu Vinh qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Image: Vietnam News Agency |
Prior to his departure, Park served as the head coach of the national shooting team, earning a monthly salary of US$6,000, exclusive of personal income tax, funded by the state budget through the sports authority.
Following Park’s departure, Dang Ha Viet, head of the Sports Authority of Vietnam, sent a letter on September 12, inviting him to negotiate a contract extension through the end of 2025. The goal was to secure a gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games and the 2028 Olympics.
The national shooting team has faced additional challenges, including the loss of Coach Hoang Xuan Vinh, while Coach Tran Quoc Cuong has yet to receive adequate support to fully utilize his potential. Experts urge the Sports Authority of Vietnam to swiftly stabilize the team by recruiting top foreign specialists and skilled local coaches.
Vietnam’s football governing body denies rumor of head coach transferring to Thailand
Recent rumors of the national men’s football team head coach Park Hang Seo moving to Thailand are false, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) officially stated in an announcement on Monday afternoon.
