Korea Football Association President Addresses Controversy Surrounding National Team Coach Selection

Chung Mong-gyu, president of the Korea Football Association, has spoken out about the controversy surrounding the selection process of national team coach Hong Myung-bo.

At the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee inquiry, Chairman Chung explained that the association was not trying to hide the reality of the selection process. He stated, “We were not making any conspiracy or trying to hide the truth. It was never intended to select certain individuals through an unfair process.”

Chairman Chung attributed the lack of transparency to the need to protect the confidentiality of those selected or not selected for the position. He emphasized that he has never once selected a national team coach contrary to the recommendations of the current empowerment committee or the previous technical committee.

The controversy surrounding the selection process began when commentator Park Joo-ho criticized the process on YouTube after the appointment of coach Hong. Chairman Chung expressed regret over the situation, stating that revealing the discussion process would damage the trust among members of the Power Strengthening Committee.

Future Changes to the Selection Process

Chairman Chung hinted at the possibility of changing the current method by which the National Team Strengthening Committee searches for new coaches. He noted that the names of director candidates were revealed almost in real-time through the media, which should not be repeated in the future.

Chairman Chung emphasized that the coach of the Korean national football team should not be selected in the same way in the future. He acknowledged that Korea is still on the periphery of the global football market, limiting the association’s ability to choose leaders who meet the expectations of domestic fans.

A Message to Fans and Coach Hong

Chairman Chung apologized to coach Hong for the difficult negotiation process and expressed his regret for the fans who targeted coach Hong during the first leg of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup Asian 3rd Qualifier match.

He concluded by stating that the rest of the World Cup qualifiers will be where players, coaches, and fans will unite.