Former South Korean national football team head coach Hong Myung-bo was summoned and investigated by police for the first time in connection with allegations surrounding the national team coach appointment process.

According to police on the 5th, the Financial Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency called in former coach Hong as a suspect the previous day (the 4th) to verify facts regarding the appointment process, contract terms, and the circumstances of his salary determination. While there have been prior investigations into key individuals accused in the case, including former Korea Football Association chairman Chung Mong-gyu, this marks the first direct summoning of former coach Hong.

Regarding suspicions surrounding the Korea Football Association's coach appointment, police launched a full-scale investigation in July 2024 and have been questioning key figures including former chairman Chung and former Technical Director Lee Lim-saeng. Previously, complaints and accusations related to the football association that had been handled by the Jongno Police Station in Seoul for nearly two years were recently transferred to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Financial Crime Investigation Unit. In this process, the circumstances surrounding the transfer of the coach recommendation authority and the board of directors' approval procedures were also included in the police's scope of investigation.

Former coach Hong was accused on charges of obstruction of business and occupational breach of trust on the 2nd of last month by the civic group 'Common People's Livelihood Countermeasures Committee' in connection with his appointment as head coach of the national team in 2024. Under criminal justice procedures, with the acceptance of the accusation, former coach Hong's status was converted to that of a suspect. The accusation stated that he was appointed through preferential treatment while ignoring internal regulations such as the official evaluation and interviews by the National Team Strengthening Committee and board resolutions, and that he received a high salary through an opaque process unlike other candidates, causing financial damage to the association.

Police investigated whether former coach Hong was aware of issues in the appointment procedure and whether the receipt of a high salary actually constituted occupational breach of trust. However, they also examined the legal limitation that it is difficult to establish a breach of trust charge based solely on poor performance or salary size. It is understood that during this investigation, questions were asked not only about the accusations against former coach Hong personally but also about the overall coach appointment process in a witness-like capacity.

Meanwhile, at a hearing of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee on the 30th of last month, former coach Hong explained that when he received the offer for the head coaching position, he believed it was a proposal made by the National Team Strengthening Committee through normal procedures, and stated that he had never requested any special favors or benefits.