Photo : YONHAP News
Police have referred the former head of the Korea Football Association(KFA) to prosecutors over allegations that he interfered in the appointment process for men’s national team head coach Hong Myung-bo.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said Tuesday that Chung Mong-gyu was referred without detention and may face charges of obstruction of business, along with former KFA technical director Lee Lim-saeng and former KFA Vice President Kim Jung-bae.
Police said the three interfered with the decision of the KFA’s National Teams Committee, the body responsible for recommending the national team’s coach, in July 2024, by making it appear that proper procedures had been followed ahead of Hong’s appointment when they hadn’t.
According to police, the three included false information in documents submitted to the KFA board for deliberation and in so doing interfered with the board’s decision-making.
Police said the documents falsely claimed that former head of the National Teams Committee Chung Hae-sung had asked the KFA to proceed with the selection of a coach and authorized Lee to choose candidates.
Police also said Lee had no authority to recommend a coach but nevertheless interviewed foreign candidates and didn’t share the results with committee members before choosing Hong as the final candidate.
Hong, however, was not referred to prosecutors, as police found insufficient evidence that he had directly participated in the appointment process, or that he had breached his duty or received excessive pay.