Chukhyeop "Delegates Full Authority for Supervisor Appointment to I Imsaeng"... Park Juho "More Like Notification Than Consent" (Comprehensive)

Culture Committee Questions Korea Football Association on Current Issues... Controversy Over Coach Appointment Procedure
Yang Moon-seok "What Qualification Does Chairman Chung Mong-gyu Have to Delegate Full Authority?"
Hong Myung-bo Suspected of 'Bakery Privilege Interview'... Different from Foreign Candidates
On Questioning Chung Mong-gyu's Position, "Will Consider All Possibilities"

During a current affairs inquiry by the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, the process by which Lee Im-saeng, Technical Director of the Korea Football Association, was granted full authority to appoint the head coach was discussed. The issue raised was that there were problems in the process of Lee receiving authority from the Strengthening Committee, implying that the appointment of Coach Hong Myung-bo was illegal. A member of the Strengthening Committee, who was asked for consent by Director Lee, also acknowledged procedural flaws.

Lee Im-saeng, Technical Director of the Korea Football Association, is greeting at the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee of the National Assembly held on the 24th, attending the current issue inquiry regarding the Korea Football Association. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

On the 24th, Min Hyung-bae, a member of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, asked Director Lee at the National Assembly, "Is it true that you said in the July 8 press briefing that you were delegated full authority?" and "Did you get consent from all five members of the Strengthening Committee?" Director Lee replied, "I can say that for sure," and "I contacted all five members and obtained their consent."

Rep. Min questioned the fact that despite obtaining consent, Director Lee told one Strengthening Committee member via personal messenger, "You just need to confirm to the reporter that you gave consent." He also revealed that the member who received the message said they did not actually consent. Then, Rep. Min asked Park Joo-ho, a former committee member who attended the inquiry and was one of the five members said to have consented, whether he actually agreed. Park said, "I remember talking on the phone for about a minute," and "We talked about getting consent, but to me, it felt more like a notification." Although Director Lee said he obtained consent from all five members, Park effectively denied this.

In an earlier morning inquiry, Yang Moon-seok, a Democratic Party member, pointed out problems in the process by which former Strengthening Committee Chairman Jung Hae-sung recommended three head coach candidates, including Coach Hong, to Korea Football Association President Chung Mong-gyu, then suddenly resigned, after which Director Lee was delegated full authority to appoint the coach. Yang asked President Chung, "Did you delegate full authority to Director Lee?" and Chung replied, "Yes." Yang then questioned, "On what grounds does the president delegate full authority?"

President Chung stated that the actual decision was made by former Chairman Jung before his resignation, and that Director Lee interviewed the three coach candidates. Chung said he told Director Lee, "I fully trust your judgment, so please make a good decision." The Strengthening Committee delegated full authority to Director Lee at the 11th meeting, but both President Chung and Coach Hong said the decision was effectively finalized at the 10th meeting. Chung even claimed the 11th meeting did not take place. In response, Rep. Yang read the minutes of the 11th meeting and said, "Kim Jeong-bae, the full-time vice president of the Football Association, also said the 11th meeting was an unauthorized illegal meeting."

Committee members also raised suspicions that the interview with Coach Hong during the appointment process was a preferential interview. It is known that Director Lee conducted formal interviews with the other two foreign coach candidates in Europe. However, the interview with Coach Hong was held around 11 p.m. at a cafe near Hong’s home, which was deemed inappropriate. In response, Rep. Park Soo-hyun of the Democratic Party said, "Isn't this enough to raise suspicion that the interview was just a formality with Coach Hong in mind?" and emphasized, "Is there any basis to give Director Lee the authority to interview and appoint the coach? I believe President Chung has no right to unilaterally delegate such authority to the technical director."

Rep. Lee Ki-heon from the same party also criticized the 'bakery interview,' saying, "No matter how you look at it, it was either an emperor interview or a hospitality interview," and "Since this is a personnel matter that should be fair, if this is unfair, it causes a very serious procedural flaw."

During the inquiry, criticisms continued regarding the legality of Coach Hong’s appointment process. However, President Chung and Coach Hong maintained that there were no problems with the Football Association’s coach appointment procedures.

Rep. Shin Dong-wook of the People Power Party pointed out that although Coach Hong and Coach David Wagner tied for first place with seven votes each in the Strengthening Committee’s voting process, Coach Hong was reported as the top vote-getter. Former Chairman Jung, who led the appointment process at the time, responded, "I reported to President Chung that two candidates tied with seven votes."

Rep. Shin also asked former committee member Park, who appeared as a witness, "Did you understand that the first-place vote did not automatically decide the head coach?" Park replied, "Yes, I understood it that way." Park understood that the voting was a process where members with voting rights voted for multiple preferred coaches, but it was not the final vote that determined the head coach appointment.

President Chung explained, "At the 10th meeting, we recommended three candidates: Wagner, Gus Poyet, and Coach Hong. Former Chairman Jung told me in an interview that he preferred Coach Hong. So, I said that since Wagner and Poyet were interviewed remotely, even if we decide on Coach Hong, why not interview all three fairly before recommending?" Former Chairman Jung also acknowledged that President Chung said, "I wish you had met face-to-face once more instead of remotely." When asked if he thought the coach appointment procedure was just a matter of public suspicion and had no flaws, President Chung replied, "I think so."

Coach Hong responded to a question from Rep. Kim Jae-won of the Innovation Party about whether the appointment process was fair, saying, "I do not think there was anything unfair or preferential to me." He added, "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."

Some members of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee also asked whether President Chung should decide on his own position. When asked about the possibility of a fourth term, President Chung repeatedly answered, "I will keep all possibilities open and consider them," suggesting he may choose either to resign or to run for re-election.