Culture Committee Criticizes Chukhyup... Chung Mong-gyu and Hong Myung-bo Say "No Issues with Coach Appointment Process"

Hong Myung-bo "I Don't Think There Was Any Favoritism... I Got the Coaching Position Because I Was the Top Choice"
Legitimacy of the 11th Meeting of the Power Enhancement Committee, Controversy Over Director Lee Im-saeng's Delegation of Authority

Members of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee summoned Chung Mong-gyu, President of the Korea Football Association, and Coach Hong Myung-bo as witnesses on the 24th to question them about suspicions regarding the coach appointment process. President Chung and Coach Hong responded that there were no defects or unfair aspects in the appointment process of the national team coach.

Korea Football Association Chairman Chung Mong-gyu is responding to lawmakers' questions during the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee's inquiry into the Korea Football Association held at the National Assembly on the 24th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Shin Dong-wook, a member of the People Power Party, pointed out why the Football Association's Strengthening Committee reported Coach Hong as the top vote-getter despite Coach Hong and Coach David Wagner tying for first place with 7 votes each in the coach selection process. In response, Jeong Hae-seong, former head of the Strengthening Committee who led the coach appointment process at the time, said, "I reported to President Chung that two people tied with 7 votes."

Shin also asked Park Joo-ho, a former Strengthening Committee member who appeared as a reference, "Did you understand that the first-place vote was not necessarily the deciding factor for the coach appointment?" Park replied, "Yes, I understood it that way." Park understood that the voting members each voted for multiple preferred coaches, and that the vote did not have the final influence on the coach appointment.

Park Soo-hyun, a member of the Democratic Party, questioned the Football Association about the allegations of preferential treatment revealed during the final interview process of Coach Hong and the grounds for delegating full authority for coach appointment to Technical Director Lee Im-saeng. Park pointed out, "For the final three candidates decided at the 10th Strengthening Committee meeting, foreign coaches were interviewed face-to-face in Europe. However, it is known that Technical Director Lee went to Coach Hong's home to ask him to take the coaching position."

She added, "Isn't this enough to raise suspicions that the interview was just a formality with Coach Hong in mind? Is there any basis for giving Technical Director Lee the authority for the interview and coach appointment? I believe President Chung does not have the unilateral authority to delegate this to the technical director."

In response, President Chung explained, "At the 10th meeting, we recommended three candidates: Wagner, Gus Poyet, and Coach Hong. Former Committee Head Jeong told me in a meeting that he preferred Coach Hong. So, since Wagner and Poyet were interviewed remotely, I suggested that even if we decided on Coach Hong, we should fairly recommend all three after seeing them." Former Committee Head Jeong also acknowledged that President Chung said he wanted them to meet face-to-face once more instead of remotely. When asked if he thought the coach appointment process was merely a public suspicion without defects, President Chung replied, "I think so."

Coach Hong responded to a question from Kim Jae-won of the Innovation Party about whether the process of his appointment was fair by saying, "I do not think there was anything unfair or preferential towards me." He explained, "I was appointed because I was ranked first by the Strengthening Committee. If I had been second or third, I would not have accepted the position."

Yang Moon-seok, a Democratic Party member, viewed the process where former Committee Head Jeong suddenly resigned after recommending three coach candidates to President Chung, and Technical Director Lee was delegated full authority for the coach appointment, as problematic. Yang asked President Chung, "Did you delegate full authority to Technical Director Lee?" and President Chung answered, "Yes." Yang then questioned, "On what grounds does the president have the authority to delegate full power?"

President Chung stated that the actual decision was made by the resigned former Committee Head Jeong, and that Technical Director Lee interviewed the three coach candidates. Chung said he told Lee, "I fully trust your judgment, so please make a good decision." The delegation of full authority to Technical Director Lee by the Strengthening Committee occurred at the 11th meeting, but President Chung and Coach Hong responded that the decision was effectively made at the 10th meeting. President Chung even said the 11th meeting did not take place. Yang read the minutes of the 11th meeting and pointed out, "Kim Jeong-bae, the full-time vice president of the Football Association, also said the 11th meeting was an illegal meeting without proper authority."