"Since I told you to leave, you actually left"... 'International disgrace' Hong Myung-bo senior's instigator faces controversy over escape-style overseas employment → Unending 'flood of anger'

*This content was translated by AI.

Football fans' fury has reached its peak toward former Korea Football Association (KFA) Technical Department General Manager Lee Im-saeng, who led the South Korean national football team to a catastrophic elimination in the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America and then chose an escape-style job in Cambodian professional football. However, the former manager remains silent despite public outrage and allegations of perjury.

Naga World FC, a prestigious Cambodian professional football club, announced on the 6th that it officially appointed former Technical Director Lee Im-saeng as its new technical director.

At the time, the club introduced the former manager's extensive credentials, including his experience as an AFC Professional Coach Instructor, his record as a South Korean national team player at the 1998 France World Cup, and his coaching stints with Singapore Home United and Suwon Samsung, expressing expectations that he would make the team even stronger. This appointment marks Lee's return to a professional club five years after leaving Suwon in 2020.

However, when news spread that the person responsible for driving Korean football into crisis had left for another country without offering a single apology, the patience of domestic football fans exploded. Currently, Naga World FC's official social networking service (SNS) channels have disabled comment functions following the announcement of the former manager's appointment, but they could not stop the procession of angry fans.

The club's official YouTube channel, where comments were open, was completely devastated by sharp comments from Korean fans targeting the former manager. While Naga World FC's YouTube videos typically received only hundreds of views, the most recent post announcing the former manager's appointment surpassed 1,000 views in an instant. It appears that Korean fans have gathered specifically to criticize the former manager.

The comment section of the YouTube video was filled 100% with sharp protests and mockery from Koreans. Fans, citing the club name Naga World, responded cynically: "Does 'Naga World' mean telling Lee Im-saeng to leave the football world?" and "I told him to leave, and he actually went to Naga World."

Some fans directly warned the club in English. One fan wrote, "Lee Im-saeng is a failure and a disgrace of Korean football. Why would someone recognized as capable in Korea end up drifting all the way to Cambodia? It would be better for the team to fire him immediately," while others asked, "Is this the team that hired someone who fled without even apologizing for the World Cup disaster?" and "You must come back for the hearing." Intense criticism poured out.

Former Manager Lee Im-saeng now faces such fierce criticism abroad due to his irresponsible and unilateral actions during the appointment process of Bae Gyeong-e-neun (CEO) team coach. Despite having no official authority after the resignation of Jeong Hae-seong (Chairman) in 2024, the former manager continued the work of the Power Strengthening Committee and unilaterally led the appointment of Coach Hong Myung-bo.

At that time, he claimed to have been granted full authority by Jeon (Chairman) and argued for a transparent procedure, but controversy over unfair appointment practices erupted. He was summoned to answer questions before the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee and faced severe criticism. When disputes arose over whether committee members had agreed, former Manager Lee Im-saeng, who even shed tears while announcing his intention to resign, was later exposed for lying to the National Assembly by claiming he "met and spoke alone" despite Vice Chairman Choi Young-il accompanying him during the meeting, leading to his disgraceful indictment on charges of perjury.

The South Korean national team under Coach Hong Myung-bo, whom Lee had unilaterally promoted, ultimately ended in a historic disaster at the North America World Cup with one win and two losses, finishing 34th overall. Shortly after, former Coach Hong departed for his home in the United States to avoid criticism just two days after resigning, and Jeon (Chairman) also officially announced his resignation on the 6th.

Furthermore, former Manager Lee Im-saeng continued to evade public scrutiny by appearing only at private events until he ultimately chose an escape-style appointment with a Cambodian club without offering a single apology. With the National Assembly's Culture and Tourism Committee selecting both the former manager and former Coach Hong as witnesses for a hearing, attention is now focused on whether the former manager, who ruined Korean football and fled to Cambodia amidst international disgrace, will indeed return to the hearing room.

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*This content was translated by AI.