Half of Football Association Ignored 'Hong Myung-bo Appointment' Data Request: "Confidential Agreement, Please Understand"

Controversy over the appointment of the head coach of the South Korean national football team is scheduled to be addressed in the National Assembly on the 24th, amid criticisms that the Korea Football Association (KFA) has been negligent in submitting related materials.

Hong Myung-bo, head coach of the South Korean national football team.

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According to materials submitted by the KFA to Kim Seung-su, a member of the People Power Party on the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, more than half of the 129 requested documents from committee members were not properly answered. Regarding this, Rep. Kim criticized the KFA for mostly responding with phrases such as "We ask for your understanding as it is difficult to provide," "(Due to contract terms) we cannot disclose unilaterally," and "We cannot submit due to personal information and confidentiality agreements."

Rep. Kim also pointed out inaccurate responses. When he asked whether any former KFA presidents had appeared as witnesses at the National Assembly’s audit hearings, the KFA replied, "In relation to Park Jong-woo’s Dokdo celebration at the 2012 London Olympics, then-president Cho Joong-yeon was selected as a witness and attended the audit." However, Rep. Kim stated that no former KFA president had actually appeared as a witness at the audit hearings. Cho Joong-yeon attended an emergency inquiry in August 2012 but refused to attend the scheduled audit in October of the same year, citing overseas commitments.

Rep. Kim emphasized, "There is public outrage over procedural flaws and unfair controversies in the appointment process of coach Hong Myung-bo, as well as the KFA’s passive response," adding, "The KFA’s uncooperative behavior, including submitting inadequate materials ahead of the National Assembly’s urgent inquiry, is an act of deceiving the public and the legislature."

At 10 a.m. on the 24th, KFA President Chung Mong-gyu, coach Hong Myung-bo, and KFA Technical Director Lee Im-saeng are scheduled to testify before the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee. Although senior KFA officials discouraged coach Hong from attending, it is reported that Hong insisted on facing the inquiry directly. Former National Team Strengthening Committee Chairman Jeong Hae-seong, who abruptly resigned at the final stage of the coach appointment process, and former Strengthening Committee member Park Joo-ho, who made critical remarks about Hong’s appointment, were also selected as witnesses.

Coach Hong was appointed head coach in July after leading Ulsan Hyundai FC in professional football and following the dismissal of underperforming coach J?rgen Klinsmann at the 2023 Qatar Asian Cup. Since then, criticisms have arisen that the appointment process was unfair, as there was no interview or announcement conducted for Hong.

Additionally, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee is expected to question President Chung’s bid for a fourth term and the issue of the KFA opening a 60 billion won overdraft account for the construction of the Cheonan Football Center without approval from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Witnesses attending the inquiry will take an oath, and if their statements are found to be perjury, they may face punishment.

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