South Korean police search football federation over coach hiring controversy
Seoul police conducted a raid on the Korea Football Association as part of a probe into possible business obstruction during former coach Hong Myung-bo’s appointment.
Police in Seoul executed a raid on the Korea Football Association, seizing documents as they examine whether senior officials obstructed proper procedures when appointing former player Hong Myung-bo as head coach. Hong resigned in June after the national team’s group-stage elimination at the World Cup, highlighted by a 1-0 defeat to South Africa. The inquiry, led by financial-crime investigators, also looks into claims that the appointment breached the federation’s own regulations.
Hong previously faced a parliamentary committee, accepting full responsibility for the poor results, while President Lee Jae Myung blamed the failure on incompetent, faction-driven leadership. The KFA declined to comment on the police operation. The case adds to growing scrutiny of South Korea’s “golden generation” squad, which includes stars Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae and Lee Kang-in.
Why it matters
The raid could expose misconduct in the governing body of South Korean football, affecting future team leadership and public trust.
In this story