"I will not evade any question": Hong Myung-bo has already returned to Korea, preparing to attend the KFA hearing

*This content was translated by AI.

Hong Myung-bo (57), former head coach of the South Korean national football team who resigned to take responsibility for the team's failure to advance from the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, has reportedly already returned to Korea and is preparing to attend a hearing by the KFA.

According to the football community on the 22nd, Coach Hong Myung-bo returned to Korea last week and has been staying domestically to prepare for the KFA hearing scheduled for the 30th. After it was confirmed that the team had failed to advance from the World Cup group stage, he departed for Los Angeles, USA, where his family resides, just two days after returning home on the 30th of last month, sparking controversy over whether this was an escape trip. However, he did not remain in the United States and has since returned.

Prior to his departure for the United States, Coach Hong Myung-bo was selected as a "witness" in the National Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee's hearing on the KFA. This was the reason behind the intense controversy surrounding accusations of an escape trip. However, Coach Hong drew a line against the escape trip allegations through the Hong Myung-bo Scholarship Foundation, which he Lee (President), stating, "There were threats directed at me and my family, and concerns about personal safety. As the head of a household, I had to protect my family."

He further stated, "If a hearing is held, I believe it will be an opportunity to explain the World Cup results to the public. If so, the person who must stand there is the coach, me. The responsibility for the result lies entirely with me, the coach. Therefore, if a hearing is held, I, as the coach, will bear the responsibility that falls upon me until the very end. Before the people of Korea, I will state all facts I know exactly as they are and will not evade any questions."

And indeed, Coach Hong Myung-bo has already set out on his return journey. The hearing on the KFA, in which Coach Hong was selected as a witness, was originally scheduled to take place on the 22nd. However, considering the boycott by the People Power Party, the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee adjusted the schedule and ultimately decided through a plenary session the previous day to postpone the KFA hearing to the 30th. The decision to change the implementation plan for this hearing was also adopted under the leadership of the Democratic Party of Korea.

Currently, former Coach Hong Myung-bo is the only one who has publicly expressed his intention to attend the hearing. In addition, former Chairman Jeong Mong-gyu, former KFA Technical Director Lee Im-saeng, and others have been selected as witnesses, but their attendance at today's hearing remains undecided. On the other hand, former KFA Vice President and North America World Cup Support Team Head Park Hang-seo reportedly submitted a non-attendance letter to the National Assembly citing "overseas stay" as the reason. Former Vice President Park was appointed as head coach of Thai second division team Ratchaburi Mitr Phol FC. Former Technical Director Lee Im-saeng has also taken up his post as technical director for Cambodia's Nagaworld FC, so he may also be unable to attend the hearing for the same reason. While attendance is mandatory once selected as a hearing witness, submitting and having a non-attendance letter accepted can exempt one from penalties.

Instead, those selected as "reference persons" have already announced in advance that they will not attend. K-Football Innovation Committee Chairman Park Ji-sung, along with committee members Park Ju-ho and Lee Young-pyo, have either announced or expressed their intention not to attend the hearing. Unlike witnesses, reference persons can choose not to attend a hearing based solely on their intent, without submitting a separate non-attendance letter. Although it has been reported that external event schedules were cited as reasons for non-attendance by these reference persons, it is also widely interpreted that the timing itself made it difficult to attach significance to attending the hearing regarding the current situation. Chairman Park Ji-sung also publicly stated his intention not to attend, saying, "Even if I were to attend the hearing, I have nothing special to say regarding the KFA."

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*This content was translated by AI.