South Korean law enforcement authorities have launched a new wave of probes into the controversial hiring process of former national men’s football team head coach Hong Myung-bo, executing search warrants at two key locations of the Korea Football Association (KFA) this Thursday. Investigators targeted both the KFA’s main headquarters located in Cheonan, a city roughly 56 kilometers south of the national capital Seoul, and the KFA House situated in central Seoul. Their primary goal is to secure physical and digital evidence that would confirm allegations of improper interference by top KFA officials in the 2024 hiring process that named Hong as the senior coach of the national side.
The investigation into the hiring irregularities was first initiated shortly after Hong’s appointment nearly two years ago, but the case stalled over the summer with no formal conclusion reached. The probe regained significant momentum and public scrutiny after South Korea’s early exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the team was eliminated in the group stage – a result that sparked widespread public anger toward the KFA’s leadership and management.
Following the disappointing World Cup performance, both Hong Myung-bo and KFA president Chung Mong-gyu stepped down from their respective posts. The two figures were summoned to testify before a parliamentary hearing held at Seoul’s National Assembly back in July, where they addressed questions surrounding the controversial hiring process.
Hong, a legendary figure in South Korean football who served as captain of the 2002 World Cup semi-finalist Korean national team (co-hosted by South Korea and Japan) and also led the national side at the 2014 World Cup, has denied any wrongdoing. During the July hearing, Hong told lawmakers: “When I received the offer, I thought they had all taken the proper steps. People may think things were not so transparent, but I never once asked for any special treatment.”
According to domestic South Korean media reports, police formally questioned Hong as a person of interest in the case this Tuesday. Details of the closed-door interrogation have not been released to the public as of press time.
The controversy over the hiring traces back to a 2024 review by South Korea’s sports ministry, which flagged a series of rule breaches by the KFA. Per local reporting, former KFA technical director Lee Lim-saeng privately offered the head coaching position to Hong during a meeting at a bakery near the coach’s residence. The ministry concluded that this private meeting did not qualify as a formal interview as required by the KFA’s own hiring regulations, confirming that the federation had violated its internal recruitment guidelines. At the same time, the 2024 ministry review found no conclusive evidence of illegal activity connected to the hiring.