Speaking at a news conference in Seoul today, Chung read out a nine-page statement addressing the charges, which comprise the violation of six articles from FIFA’s Code of Ethics.

The South Korean has dismissed the charges as a ploy to prevent him from running for the FIFA Presidency, claiming his proposals for the establishment of a GFF for football development had already been investigated and cleared in line with FIFA’s rules.

He provided copies of two letters which stated FIFA had agreed that the integrity of the 2022 bidding process, ultimately won by Qatar, had not been affected and that the matter was deemed closed.

These were both dated November 10, 2010 and signed by Jerome Valcke, who last month was suspended as FIFA’s secretary general following accusations he was involved in a scheme to sell World Cup tickets for above their face value.

"The fundamental reason why I am being targeted is that I aimed straight at the existing power structure of FIFA," said Chung, who is due to speak at the Leaders Sport Business Summit in London tomorrow.

"[The] Ethics Committee is not charging me with a criminal offence, and it is not charging me with 'bribery', 'corruption' or 'conflict of interest'.

"All that the Ethics Committee is relying on is that I have not fully 'cooperated' or 'collaborated' with the investigation and that I had violated 'confidentiality' requirements."

Chung, a major shareholder in car manufacturer Hyundai, has pledged to contest the charges, stating "ultimately, I will prevail and will be vindicated".

In November of last year, the 63-year-old was named in FIFA's Ethics report into the bidding processes for the World Cups in 2018 and 2022, which was compiled on the back of an investigation headed by former United States attorney Michael Garcia.

Letters sent by Chung to FIFA Executive Committee members in late 2010, regarding a proposal to establish a GFF, were examined as part of the investigation.

"According to those letters, Korea intended to raise $777 million (£513 million/€694 million) from 2011 to build new football infrastructure and renovate existing facilities," read the report, which confirmed that the GFF was related to South Korea’s 2022 World Cup bid.

Chung said: "There was nothing unusual about GFF.

"The GFF was perfectly in line with the football development projects that FIFA asked every bidding country to propose as part of their bid requirement.

"No money or personal favours were exchanged in relation to GFF and no such charges were made against me."

Chung formally announced in August that he was running for FIFA's Presidency, and has been extremely critical of incumbent Sepp Blatter from the outset of his campaign, describing the Ethics Committee as the Swiss national’s "hitman".

"The true danger is that they are not only sabotaging my candidacy," the former FIFA vice-president said. 

"They are sabotaging FIFA's election and FIFA itself.

"As preposterous as it may sound, there are media reports that Mr. Blatter plans to stay on as President once all the Presidential candidates are forced out.

"However, the election is in danger of being turned into a farce."

FIFA sponsors Budweiser, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Visa each issued statements last week saying Blatter should quit his role after criminal proceedings were opened against him.

The 79-year-old, who has already confirmed that he will stand down in February, is accused by Swiss prosecutors of criminal mismanagement or misappropriation over a television rights deal he signed with former Caribbean Football Union chief Jack Warner in 2005.

He is also suspected of making "a disloyal payment" in 2011 of CHF 2 million (£1.3 million/$2.1 million/€1.8 million) to current UEFA President and FIFA Presidential candidate Michel Platini for work allegedly carried out by the Frenchman between 1999 and 2002.



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