*This content was translated by AI.
- National Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee confirms hearing schedule for the 22ndChung Mong-gyu, Hong Myung-bo, Lee Im-saeng among selected witnessesPark Ji-sung, Son Heung-min included in list of persons to be heard
The National Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee has confirmed that it will hold a hearing on the Korea Football Association (KFA) on the 22nd. Former President Chung Mong-gyu Han Chuk-gu-hyeop (Chairman) and former national team coach Hong Myung-bo have been selected as witnesses, while players including Son Heung-min (LAFC) and Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers) have also been added to the list of persons to be heard at the KFA hearing.
The Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee held a plenary session on the 9th and approved measures including the implementation plan for the hearing on issues related to the Korea Football Association. Lee Jae-jeong (Chairman) of the Democratic Party of Korea stated, "We will examine various problems identified in the process of selecting the national team coach and the overall operation of the KFA at the National Assembly level and seek ways to normalize the association."
Among the witnesses are former President Chung Mong-gyu Jeon (Chairman), former coach Hong Myung-bo, former Technical Director Lee Im-saeng, former national team player Jung Hae-sung Jeon Ryeok-gang-hwa (Chairman), former vice presidents Kim Jeong-bae and Choi Young-il, and other senior KFA officials involved in the appointment of coach Hong Myung-bo. Additionally, current KFA Vice Presidents Lee Yong-soo and Kim Byeong-ji, Kim Seung-hui (EVP) Director, former Vice President Park Hang-seo, and Kim Jin-gyu (CEO) team coaches have also been selected as witnesses.
The list of persons to be heard includes Park Ji-sung, chairman of the newly established 'K-Football Innovation Committee' under the leadership of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, who is also a member of the FIFA sub-committee; Yoo Seung-min, President of the Korean Olympic Committee; and commentators Lee Young-pyo and Park Ju-ho, who are members of the innovation committee. Players including Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan, who participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, have also been added to the list as persons to be heard.
However, it remains uncertain whether the selected witnesses and persons to be heard will appear at today's hearing. While witnesses such as former President Chung Mong-gyu Jeon (Chairman) and former coach Hong Myung-bo are legally required to attend, they may avoid fines or prosecution by submitting a valid excuse for non-appearance that is approved. The KFA has stated it will cooperate with the hearing to the fullest extent possible for current staff members, but former President Chung Mong-gyu Jeon (Chairman) has already resigned upon submission of his resignation letter, and former coach Hong Myung-bo, who has already departed for Los Angeles, USA, is now in the status of a "former head coach" and is no longer under the KFA's jurisdiction. Former Technical Director Lee Im-saeng recently took up a new position as technical director at Cambodia's Nagaworld FC, sparking controversy over allegations of evasion.
Persons to be heard such as Chairman Park Ji-sung, Son Heung-min, and Hwang Hee-chan have no legal obligation to appear at the hearing and may decide on their own whether to attend. Currently resting, Son Heung-min has scheduled matches with LA Galaxy on the 18th and Salt Lake City on the 23rd in Major League Soccer (MLS), making it highly likely that he will not appear at the hearing.
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*This content was translated by AI.
