Police investigating whether there was improper interference in the Korea Football Association's process of appointing the national soccer team coach have, for the first time, summoned and questioned former head coach Hong Myung-bo.
The Financial Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said on the 5th that it summoned former coach Hong Myung-bo the previous day for questioning as a suspect.
This was the first time police questioned former coach Hong in connection with the allegations. During the inquiry, police were understood to have looked not only into the accusations filed against former coach Hong but also into the overall process of appointing the coach.
On the 2nd of last month, a civic group filed a complaint accusing former coach Hong of obstruction of business, coercion, intimidation, obstruction of business, and breach of trust in connection with the appointment of the national team coach, along with former Korea Football Association President Chung Mong-gyu and former technical director Lee Im-seng.
The core of the allegations is that senior officials of the association, including President Chung, improperly intervened in the appointment process, and that there may be a breach of trust related to the payment of former coach Hong's compensation.
Earlier, the Jongno Police Station in Seoul received related complaints starting in July 2024, when former coach Hong was appointed, and launched an investigation but failed to reach a conclusion for about two years. The case was then transferred on the 1st of last month to the Financial Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Major Crime Investigation Division, considering the importance of the matter.
Regarding the investigation into allegations of improper interference by "higher-ups" in the process of appointing the former national team coach Hong, the Financial Crime Investigation Unit was said to be conducting investigations of accused parties and witnesses in nine related cases.