Police raid South Korea FA in probe into Hong Myung-bo appointment process

[p]Police conducted "search and seizure operations" at the Korea Football Association (KFA) offices, probing allegations of "obstruction of business" in the recruitment of former coach Hong Myung-bo, a police spokesman told AFP.[/p][p]The 57-year-old Hong resigned in June after South Korea were knocked out at the group stage of the 48-team showpiece in the United States, Mexico and Canada following a shock [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/south-africa-W2ijYvlr/south-korea-K6Gs7P6G/?mid=4rr4ngNc"]1-0 defeat[/a] to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-africa/W2ijYvlr/"]South Africa[/a].[/p][p][b]Questions were already dogging the Korean Football Association over the 2024 appointment of Hong, but scrutiny has intensified since the team failed to make the last-32 knockout stage.[/b][/p][p]Seoul police said financial crimes investigators were "looking into whether there were charges of obstruction of business during the appointment of Hong Myung-bo", a spokesman told AFP.[/p][embed guid="689cf1ae-58b4-4e7b-b0ab-1e5652791c73" url="https://x.com/lequipe/status/2085256150409261174" social-type="twitter" /][p]Local media reported authorities are investigating whether senior KFA officials improperly intervened in Hong's appointment, allegedly in violation of internal rules.[/p][p]South Korea's media had labelled the 2026 World Cup squad a "golden generation" and there were high hopes for a team featuring former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tottenham/UDg08Ohm/"]Tottenham Hotspur[/a] star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/son-heung-min/Mgg9oPeM/"]Son Heung-min[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bayern-munich/nVp0wiqd/"]Bayern Munich[/a] defender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kim-min-jae/vkXC6mad/"]Kim Min-jae[/a] and former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]Paris Saint-Germain[/a] midfielder Lee Kang-in.[/p][p]In late July, Hong was summoned before a committee of lawmakers, where he said he took "full responsibility" for the poor performance.[/p][p][b]President Lee Jae Myung blamed the failure on "incompetent people" promoted to leadership in a statement alluding to "loyalty and factionalism" tainting recruitment at the sport's top level.[/b][/p][p]The KFA declined to comment when contacted by AFP.[/p][p]Hong's decision to leave Son on the bench in the first half for the decisive match against South Africa at the World Cup baffled and angered many supporters.[/p][p][b]In June, South Korea fans greeted Hong's return from the World Cup with boos and chants of "Hong out!", while applauding the players who emerged behind him at the airport.[/b][/p][p]Hong admitted he was struggling to understand what had gone wrong.[/p][p]At last month's parliamentary hearing, MPs also raised claims Hong had enjoyed a salary of 3.8 billion won (£1.98m) - a figure reportedly at the high end for national coaches.[/p][p]Hong said at the time the figure was wrong, but declined to disclose the correct one.[/p]