The Culture, Sports and Tourism Ministry, which has been conducting an audit on the administrative difficulties of the Korea Football Association (KFA), including the process of appointing Hong Myung-bo as the national team coach, has made the first decision. The existing contract is valid. Hong, who was appointed in July, will lead the national team until the Asian Cup to be held in Saudi Arabia from January to February 2027, unless he is dismissed in the middle.
“The audit did not confirm that the KFA encouraged illegal activities to recruit Hong,” the ministry said in an interim announcement of the KFA’s audit at the government complex in Seoul on Tuesday. “Although there are procedural issues, it is difficult to judge whether the contract with Hong is valid or not. It was decided through internal discussions, not political decisions.” In other words, the KFA had no major issues in terms of preferential treatment and fairness.
However, a series of controversies have not ended. KFA Chairman Chung Mong-gyu, who received a strong rebuke from the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee last month, must appear as a witness at the 22nd regular parliamentary inspection of the state affairs conducted by the Korean Sports and Olympic Committee on May 22. The ministry also plans to announce the final results of the KFA’s audit later this month. The appointment of Hong could come under fire any time.
For now, he has avoided the worst-case scenario of nullification of the appointment, but Hong still feels burdened. He has not received adequate support from soccer fans. More than 60,000 spectators booed him in the first Group B match of the 2026 North Korea-China World Cup Asian qualifying round against Palestine on June 5, which was Hong’s return match after 10 years since the 2014 Brazil World Cup finals.
According to a recent survey of 2001 people aged 18 or older across the country, 76.4 percent of the respondents agreed with the question, “Do you agree with the argument that both Chairman Chung and Director Hong should resign?” Some civic groups filed a complaint with the police against the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which decided on the “validation of Director Hong’s appointment.”
However, there is not much that Hong can do right now to turn his back on those who have turned their backs on him. Currently, the only way is to prove to himself that he is the right person.
Team Hong Myung-bo, who left disappointment with “half-success” in the two consecutive rounds of the final qualifiers in September, which led to Palestine (0-0 at home) and Oman (3-1 away), should display overwhelming dominance in the final qualifying round to be held through June next year. If it creaks even a little, it could fall into an abyss. It is not easy. Both away matches in Jordan (on Saturday, Korean time) and home matches against Iraq (on Saturday) are burdensome. They are the biggest competitors in the final qualifying round. 메이저놀이터
The coaching staff of the Korean national team including Coach Hong, who is scheduled to call Korean players and Japanese J-League players to leave for Amman, Jordan, on the afternoon of June 6, the 33rd round of the K-League 1, had a meeting on the condition of key players, analysis of counterpart countries and establishment of training plans in the region even during the interim briefing by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The coach is committed to recovering “lost trust” little by little while constantly taking care of performance and results.