The South Korean National Assembly summons Hong Myung-bo and others to investigate the head coach selection process

According to Korean media reports, the Korean National Assembly will summon national team head coach Hong Myung-bo, Korea Football Association (KFA) president Chung Mong-gyu, and KFA technical director Lee Lim-saeng to explain related issues.

Hong Myung-bo previously coached Ulsan Hyundai. This year, he took over as the head coach of the South Korean national team, replacing Jürgen Klinsmann, who was dismissed due to poor performance in the Qatar Asian Cup. However, after a six-month-long search for a new head coach, the appointment of local coach Hong Myung-bo left many fans disappointed, especially those who had hoped for a high-profile foreign coach.

There has been widespread criticism regarding the process of Hong's appointment, with claims that the KFA did not conduct interviews or evaluations, leading to concerns about the transparency and fairness of the selection process. Even though Hong has been in the role for two months, the controversy surrounding his appointment has not subsided.

Recently, an agent revealed on social media that, despite interest from several foreign coaches, including French coach Hervé Renard, the KFA ignored these proposals and instead hired Hong Myung-bo with a higher salary.

It is reported that the inquiry, initiated by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, will take place at 10 a.m. local time on the 24th. In addition to Hong Myung-bo, Chung Mong-gyu, and Lee Lim-saeng, former KFA National Team Strengthening Committee chairman Chung Hae-sung and former national team player Park Joo-ho have also been summoned to investigate whether there were issues with Hong Myung-bo's appointment process.