Police raid South Korea FA headquarters over appointment of disgraced World Cup coach

Seoul police raided the Korea Football Association (KFA) offices on Thursday as part of an "obstruction of business" investigation into the appointment of disgraced former coach Hong Myung-bo. Hong resigned from his post as the subject of national admonishment after failing to guide South Korea beyond the 2026 World Cup group stage , with the country’s president Lee Jae Myung branding the coach as “incapable” and ordering a complete review of the national team programme. President Lee’s fury was echoed in public and press sentiment towards Hong, with broadcaster KBS blurring his face as if he were a criminal while reporting on their swift exit. Former South Korea manager Hong Myung-bo (Getty) Hong, 57, returned to the setup in 2024 for a second spell in charge, having also managed South Korea at the 2014 World Cup, but this ⁠appointment came under scrutiny after the KFA abandoned a months-long search involving foreign candidates ⁠and hired him following a brief meeting. The issue resurfaced after South Korea's dire World Cup campaign, with Reuters learning from police that a raid had been conducted to investigate his appointment. At a parliamentary hearing last month, ‌Hong rejected suggestions by lawmakers that ‌he had received special treatment in his appointment, while taking responsibility for South Korea's failure at the tournament. Former South Korea manager Hong Myung-bo at a parliamentary hearing (Reuters) South Korea's sports ministry said in October 2024 that the KFA breached its own rules in the appointments of both Hong and former coach Jurgen Klinsmann, finding that the technical director's meeting with Hong did not constitute a proper interview. However, it ‌found no evidence of illegal conduct ​and did not order Hong's contract to ‌be cancelled. Police had already been investigating complaints alleging improper interference in Hong's appointment before the World Cup. No criminal findings have ‌been announced against ​Hong or KFA officials. Additional reporting by Reuters