'I knew this would happen'... "I led the appointment of Hong Myung-bo" then refuses to attend hearing, mastermind of World Cup disaster faces 'fleeing abroad' controversy

*This content was translated by AI.

The true person ultimately responsible for leading the South Korean national football team to the catastrophic failure of being eliminated in the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean will not appear at a National Assembly hearing. Lee Im-saeng, former KFA Gi Sul-bal-jeon (Chairman), who led the coach appointment process and sparked perjury controversies at the National Assembly, submitted a document explaining his non-attendance at the hearing, citing employment with a Cambodian club as an excuse to avoid the proceedings.

The National Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee plans to hold a hearing on Wednesday, the 30th, regarding issues at the KFA, aiming to uncover the chaos in the coach appointment process and various suspicions.

Ahead of this hearing, the actions of key responsible parties sharply diverge. Former coach Hong Myung-bo, who stood at the forefront of the failure, returned to Korea on the 9th and stated, "If a hearing is held, I will not evade it but will attend and fully bear the responsibility as a coach," expressing his intention to face the issue head-on and preparing to appear.

In contrast, Lee Im-saeng Jeon (Chairman), who directed the entire coach appointment process, has consistently resorted to despicable maneuvers until the end. According to a report by Kookmin Ilbo, Lee Jeon (Chairman) recently submitted a non-attendance document citing his work duties in Cambodia after securing employment as a technical director at Nagaworld FC there.

This differs significantly from former Vice President Park Hang-seo's reason for non-attendance, which was his confirmed appointment as head coach of Kanchanaburi Power FC in Thailand's second division prior to the World Cup opening, leading to his natural stay abroad. Lee Jeon (Chairman)'s actions, hastily securing a position overseas immediately after the disaster and departing, are difficult to avoid being labeled as an intentional escape through overseas employment to evade the National Assembly's summons and public criticism, amounting to a shrewd non-attendance maneuver.

Fans' gaze toward Lee Im-saeng Jeon (Chairman) is colder than ever. While other responsible parties offered apologies or explanations even if only formally amidst fierce criticism, Lee Jeon (Chairman), at the center of the appointment chaos, has not uttered a single word of apology since the disaster. After his recent activities at private events were revealed, drawing public scrutiny, he ultimately left for Cambodia without offering any explanation to Korean football fans. Angry fans have flocked to Nagaworld FC's official social networking service (SNS) to pour out their protests.

The prevailing view is that Lee Im-saeng Jeon (Chairman)'s non-attendance at the hearing was almost predictable. On SNS and other platforms, football fans are launching fierce criticism toward the former director, saying things like "I knew this would happen" and "He's being cowardly until the end."

The background of public anger lies in Lee Im-saeng Jeon (Chairman)'s opaque actions during the coach appointment process and his clear lies at the National Assembly. Lee Jeon (Chairman), who had previously appeared before the National Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee for inquiries on this matter, even shed tears while claiming innocence, but later faced the disgrace of being exposed for perjury during investigations and subsequently reported.

At that time, Lee Jeon (Chairman) claimed during National Assembly inquiries about who accompanied him in meetings with the head coach that "Coach Hong Myung-bo often visited a bakery, so we had a conversation alone late at night." In official media briefings, he repeatedly emphasized that he exercised full authority by conducting the process entirely on his own will and decision.

However, it was revealed that Vice President Choi Young-il was present at the actual meeting. When Vice President Choi admitted this, Lee Jeon (Chairman)'s claim of a private meeting at the bakery was exposed as false. As the controversy intensified, Lee Jeon (Chairman) suddenly mentioned his honor and expressed his intention to resign with tears.

After the coach appointment he claimed to have led with full authority ended in one of the worst disasters in Korean football history, instead of providing a responsible explanation, he hid behind the shield of employment in Cambodia. Lee Im-saeng Jeon (Chairman), who tried to cover up perjury with tears at the National Assembly, ultimately exploited loopholes in the National Assembly hearing witness system to ignore even the National Assembly hearing itself.

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*This content was translated by AI.