A National Assembly hearing aimed at uncovering administrative issues within Korean football, sparked by the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup debacle, is scheduled for July 30. However, concerns are rising that the hearing may lack effectiveness due to the absence of key figures who have cited overseas employment as a reason for not attending.
The National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee will hold the hearing to investigate procedural problems in the appointment process of the national team coach and the overall operations of the Korean Football Association (KFA). Originally set for July 22, the hearing was postponed due to negotiations over the Assembly's composition.
Chung Mong-kyu, the former KFA president, and Hong Myung-bo, the former national team coach, who both resigned following the team's failure to advance in the World Cup (with a record of one win and two losses), are expected to testify. Notably, Hong, who faced criticism for leaving the country shortly after the World Cup exit, has reportedly returned to prepare for the hearing.
Lee Yong-soo, KFA vice president, Kim Seung-hee, executive director, and Jeong Hae-sung, former head of the national team reinforcement committee, are also set to attend.
The primary focus of the hearing will be the appointment process of Hong as coach. The KFA faced severe criticism for allegedly disregarding internal regulations and conducting a 'behind-closed-doors' selection process.
At the time, the KFA's reinforcement committee, responsible for vetting new coaches, was not functioning effectively. Lee Im-sang, the former technical director who had no authority to recommend coaches, took full control of the selection process after the resignation of the committee's chair. He interviewed foreign candidates such as David Wagner and Gus Poyet in Europe and then conducted a solo interview with Hong at his home late at night, without any observers or prior questions, raising concerns about the transparency and fairness of the process.
However, the absence of key witnesses is expected to limit the effectiveness of the verification process. Lee Im-sang, who led the appointment of Hong, will not attend the hearing. According to News1, he has submitted a notice of absence due to his recent appointment as the technical director of Nagaworld FC in Cambodia.
Former KFA vice president Park Hang-seo, who served as the World Cup support director, has also notified the committee of his absence due to his new role as head coach of Kanchanaburi Power FC in Thailand. Other witnesses, including Park Ji-sung, co-chair of the K-Football Innovation Committee, and committee members Lee Young-pyo and Park Joo-ho, will also miss the hearing for personal reasons.
With some key witnesses absent, the committee will question those present about the KFA's opaque decision-making structure and administrative practices.
The hearing will also investigate allegations regarding the dispatch of an executive from HDC Group, led by Chung, to the KFA. According to KFA regulations, external personnel can only be dispatched for a maximum of two years. However, this executive has reportedly been involved in KFA administrative tasks for 11 years, from 2013 to 2024, earning approximately 1 billion won, raising suspicions of impropriety and favoritism.
Additionally, allegations of improper use of a corporate credit card by Hong will be scrutinized. He is accused of spending about 14 million won of the 37.42 million won used during his tenure at hotels and restaurants in the Bundang area of Seongnam, where his residence is located. In response, Hong's representatives stated that meetings were held at a shared office near Bundang due to the location of the foreign coaching staff's residences, and that expenses incurred on holidays were related to national team duties, including K-League player evaluations. They plan to provide supporting documents during the hearing.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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