Top Korean football exec booked over controversial national team hire

Korea Football Association Technical Director Lee Lim-saeng has been booked on obstruction of business charges, according to police Wednesday.

KFA Techincal Director Lee Lim-saeng speaks during a press conference at the KFA House in central Seoul on July 8. [YONHAP]

Korea Football Association Technical Director Lee Lim-saeng has been booked on obstruction of business charges, according to police Wednesday.

Lee is accused of using his position to unilaterally appoint Hong Myung-bo as the manager of the Korean men’s national team. Seoul Jongno Police Station launched the investigation after a complaint was filed against him on July 17.

Lee has been facing mounting criticism since the appointment of Hong on July 7, filling a post that had been vacant for five months after the KFA sacked Jurgen Klinsmann in February.

The appointment was immediately controversial, not only because Hong had previously indicated his intention to reject the offer or because he would have to leave Ulsan HD in the middle of the 2024 season, but also because Lee was accused of having bypassed the selection committee and unilaterally made the appointment on his own.

Hong Myung-bo speaks during a press conference after a match between Ulsan HD and Gwangju FC at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan on July 10. [YONHAP]

Park Joo-ho, who was a selection committee member, revealed in a YouTube video released days after the appointment that he was not aware of the decision before the KFA publicly announced it, indicating that he was not involved in the appointment process.

Lee said during a press conference on July 8 that KFA Chairman Chung Mong-gyu had ordered him to take charge of the appointment process after former selection committee head Chung Hae-sung resigned a few days earlier.

Prominent voices in Korean football quickly joined the criticism, with former Manchester United star Park Ji-sung slamming the failure to follow proper procedure.

Alongside the complaint against Lee, Korean civic group People's Welfare Countermeasure Committee filed a criminal complaint against KFA Chairman Chung Mong-gyu. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the government-run Korea Sports Ethics Center have also launched separate probes into the association.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]