Transparency Issues in South Korean National Team Coach Selection Process
The South Korean Football Association (KFA) has come under scrutiny for failing to adhere to internal regulations and procedures in the appointment of national team coaches Hong Myung-bo and Jurgen Klinsmann. This revelation came to light during a mid-term audit conducted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST), which was announced this morning at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul.
According to the MCST, the KFA violated its own rules when Technical Director Lee Im-sang, who lacked the authority, made the final recommendation for the head coach position. The interview process for Coach Hong was found to be opaque and unfair, further highlighting procedural failures.
Specifically, Lee conducted face-to-face interviews with three candidates, despite having no authority to do so. He reported back with a priority ranking after the interviews, which were held under questionable circumstances. The interviews lacked pre-prepared questions or observers, and were conducted alone by Lee late at night near Coach Hong's residence, lasting for several hours. This process was markedly different from that of other candidates.
Moreover, the former Strengthening Committee Chairman, Jeong Ha-sung, had recommended Coach Hong as the top candidate to KFA President Jeong Mong-kyu before resigning. However, it has been confirmed that Jeong did not conduct any interviews with Hong.
Once Hong expressed his willingness to accept the position, the KFA proceeded to negotiate his salary and contractual terms, followed by Lee announcing Hong’s appointment in a press conference. The board later ratified the decision through written consent, despite some directors voicing concerns about the process being a mere formality.
In response to the growing controversy regarding the procedural issues, the KFA issued a statement claiming that Lee had received consent from five committee members during an online emergency meeting to proceed with the appointment process. However, during the audit, it became clear that no formal delegation of authority had been granted to Lee.
Furthermore, the MCST pointed out that the function of the Strengthening Committee had already concluded when it delegated the recommendation authority to Jeong during the tenth committee meeting, contradicting the KFA's claims. It was revealed that Jeong had not made any requests to the association regarding the delegation of authority.
Additionally, the Ministry highlighted that during Klinsmann’s previous appointment, the candidate list was generated before the committee was even formed, with agents contacting over 20 candidates while excluding committee members from the selection process.
The MCST stated that the KFA responded by accepting the findings of the audit, with the exception of the "oversight in Klinsmann's appointment process." They emphasized that ongoing investigations regarding procedural issues in other projects, such as the establishment of the Cheonan Football Center and coaching certification management, would culminate in a comprehensive report set to be released by the end of October.
During the briefing, Choi Hyun-jun, the auditor from the Ministry, remarked that while procedural flaws were identified in Hong's hiring process, they do not necessarily invalidate the contract. He expressed hope that the KFA would independently evaluate the situation, considering public opinion and fairness.
This situation raises significant concerns about governance and transparency within the KFA. With the integrity of the national team at stake, it is imperative that the association takes decisive action to rectify these issues. The KFA must rebuild public trust by ensuring that future coaching appointments are conducted with the utmost transparency and adherence to established procedures.
