South Korean police raided the offices of the Korea Football Association on Thursday as investigators intensified their examination of the controversial process used to appoint former national team coach Hong Myung-bo.
South Korean police raided the Korea Football Association’s offices in Seoul and Cheonan on August 6, 2026.
The investigation concerns the process used to appoint Hong Myung-bo as national coach in July 2024. Hong’s selection was controversial because officials allegedly bypassed parts of the normal candidate-evaluation process.
Police are particularly examining the actions of former KFA president Chung Mong-gyu and former technical director Lee Lim-saeng. Investigators want to know whether senior officials improperly interfered with the committee responsible for recommending the coach.
The South Korean sports ministry had already found that the association broke some of its internal procedures. However, it did not find enough evidence at the time to declare the appointment illegal or cancel Hong’s contract.
The case became more politically and publicly sensitive after South Korea were eliminated in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup. Hong subsequently resigned and accepted responsibility for the team’s performance.
The central issue is therefore not simply that South Korea performed badly. Police are investigating whether Hong’s original appointment involved deliberate interference, collusion or criminal obstruction.
Important legal point: Hong and the football officials have not been convicted or formally charged in connection with the appointment investigation.
