Bidding for FIFA presidency, Korea's Chung says Platini, Blatter like 'father and son'

South Korea's Chung Mong-joon tore into Michel Platini on Monday, saying his French rival for the presidency of FIFA was like a son to Sepp Blatter, the outgoing chief of soccer's scandal-hit governing body.

Launching his bid in Paris, Chung told a news conference "Michel Platini was a great football player, and he is my friend. His problem is he does not seem to appreciate the seriousness of the corruption crisis at FIFA."

Chung, a former FIFA vice-president and fierce critic of Blatter, repeated his view that Blatter was at the centre of the organisation's problems.

He said Platini, who currently heads the European governing body UEFA, should have done more to root out corruption, and that the relationship between Blatter and the Frenchman was "that of a mentor and protege, or a father and son."

FIFA's corruption troubles came to a head in May when U.S. prosecutors indicted nine soccer officials, most of whom had FIFA positions, and five marketing and broadcasting company executives, over a range of alleged offences, including fraud, money-laundering and racketeering.

Blatter was re-elected for a fifth term as FIFA president on May 29, but four days later said he would lay down his mandate amid the worst crisis in the body's history. He is due to step down after an election in February for a replacement.