"Hong Myung-bo flies in from the U.S., Chung Mong-gyu is summoned" — only Lee Im-saeng, who vowed to take responsibility, plays "hide-and-seek" in Cambodia... The audacity of having mocked the National Assembly twice

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

The attendance records of the "trio" at the center of the controversy over the appointment of a coach by the Korea Football Association (KFA) are sharply diverging. Former KFA President Chung Mong-gyu (64) and former national team head coach Hong Myung-bo (57) took the witness stand before the National Assembly despite mounting criticism. However, Lee Im-saeng (55), former General Manager of the Technical Division who led the appointment process, has repeatedly avoided appearing by using overseas employment as a shield.

Earlier, in July, top football officials appeared at the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee hearing on current issues and the subsequent inquiry. Former head coach Hong returned from a business trip to the United States for World Cup qualifier preparations and attended the inquiry. Former President Chung also appeared before the National Assembly, directly facing the committee members' intense questioning and criticism. The parties involved in the controversy at least responded directly to the summons of the National Assembly, which represents the people.

In contrast, former General Manager Lee, who was the operational head, has gone missing. He was designated as a witness for the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee's national audit on the 21st, but submitted a statement of reasons for non-attendance citing his club team's schedule. Currently serving as Technical Director at Nagaworld FC in Cambodia's professional football league, he explained that "considering flight schedules, he would have to be away for three to four days, making it difficult to fulfill training duties." This is his second absence following the previous inquiry.

This directly contradicts former General Manager Lee's own past remarks. During the briefing on head coach Hong's appointment, he stated, "You may criticize my low level of knowledge and experience. If I was wrong, I will naturally accept it," and declared, "I do not want to regret the decision myself."

However, when a perjury controversy arose during the National Assembly's hearing on current issues, he expressed his intention to resign and immediately departed for Cambodia to take up his post as Technical Director. It is a contradictory situation where the operational head who said he would "accept any mistakes" does not appear at the venue for fact-finding, using overseas residence as an excuse.

The level of criticism from the National Assembly has also intensified. The office of Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Cho Gye-won, a member of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, strongly criticized former General Manager Lee's actions as "an act of fleeing abroad for employment to evade responsibility, and the height of cowardice." The committee plans to proceed with prosecution procedures regarding former General Manager Lee's consecutive absences from the National Assembly without justifiable reasons.

Ultimately, former General Manager Lee's boast that he would bear all criticism has faded into a desperate excuse hidden behind Cambodia.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original