Police delayed probe into Hong Myung-bo appointment despite calls for swift action

Hong Myung-bo, then-national football team coach, announces his intention to resign during a press conference in Zapopan, Mexico, June 29. Yonhap

Police investigating alleged irregularities in the appointment of former national football team coach Hong Myung-bo left the case dormant for over nine months despite an internal oversight body's recommendation for a swift investigation.

Although the case was recently transferred to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA), police are facing mounting criticism that the investigation came too late, after public and political pressure intensified following the national team’s disappointing World Cup result.

On Sept. 23 last year, the SMPA instructed Jongno Police Station to expedite its investigation into a complaint accusing Lee Lim-saeng, the former technical director of the Korea Football Association (KFA), of obstruction of business.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by a citizen in July 2024, alleging that Lee violated the KFA's bylaws and national team operating regulations during the appointment of Hong as national team head coach.

After police repeatedly delayed a decision, the complainant sought an investigative review, a procedure that examines whether an investigation has been conducted fairly and lawfully. The review panel subsequently recommended that the case be handled promptly, but Jongno Police Station took no further action for the next nine months.

Police ultimately transferred the case on Wednesday to the Financial Crimes Investigation Division of the SMPA, citing the significance of the case.

The move came only after public and political pressure intensified, with President Lee Jae Myung publicly criticizing the appointment of Hong.

Meanwhile, a separate first-instance ruling by the Seoul Administrative Court found that Chung Mong-gyu, then-president of the KFA, improperly intervened in the selection of the national team's head coach without proper authority.

With both Chung and Hong having stepped down, critics question whether the eventual investigative findings will have any practical impact.