On 5 November 2024, South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) announced the results of its three-month-long specific audit of the Korea Football Association (KFA). According to the MCST, it discovered 27 cases of unlawful conduct by the KFA and therefore imposed measures, including demands for disciplinary actions against responsible individuals, corrections, warnings, notifications and institutional reforms.
The KFA is strongly refuting such allegations and has requested the court to cancel the MCST’s audit results and measures. The controversy began with the recent head coach selection process and now has escalated into a legal dispute, reflecting deeper tensions between Government oversight and the autonomy of private sports organizations.
Background
Since Mr. Guus Hiddink’s success at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the pursuit of skilled foreign head coaches has been a recurring issue in Korean football. Paolo Bento’s leadership brought unexpected success at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, guiding Korea to the Round of 16 and drawing attention to the KFA’s coach selection process.
Concerns first emerged when the KFA appointed Mr. Jurgen Klinsmann, the former legendary German striker, as Bento’s successor but then fired him after just one year amid speculations that the decision had been made solely by its Chairman, Mr. Mong-gyu Chung. The subsequent decision, announced on 8 July 2024, to name Myung-bo Hong as the next head coach, following failed negotiations with foreign candidates on the shortlist, further fueled criticism of the KFA’s decision-makers. Allegations from a serving member of the National Team Committee,...
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