On September 22, South Korean police referred former Korea Football Association (KFA) president Chung Mong-gyu and other former senior KFA officials to the prosecutor's office, accused of improperly intervening in the selection process for Hong Myung-bo as the national team coach. Following police's decision to refer the case, Chung Mong-gyu completely denied the allegations and expressed regret, while the KFA issued a public apology regarding the matter.

Chung Mong-gyu released an official statement on September 22 following police's decision to refer the case. He stated: "I deeply apologize for causing concern to the public and football fans." However, he also emphasized: "During the investigation, I explained in detail that the selection of the national team coach was conducted through normal procedures and in compliance with the law. I had no reason to deceive the board, nor was there any fact of board deception."

Chung Mong-gyu added: "I deeply regret police's decision to refer the case. In the subsequent investigation by the prosecutor's office and other authorities, I will appeal and provide a thorough explanation, hoping to clear up misunderstandings and establish the truth."

The Korea Football Association also released an official statement. The KFA stated: "We apologize to the public and football fans for the legal controversies stemming from the national team coach selection."

The KFA further stated: "We hope that the prosecutor's office's subsequent investigation will more definitively clarify the truth of this matter. Going forward, the association will further improve the transparency and fairness of the coaching selection process for national teams at all levels."

According to South Korean football sources, on September 22, the Financial Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Regional Investigation Division decided to refer former KFA president Chung Mong-gyu, former KFA Technical Director Lee Lim-saeng, and former KFA Executive Vice President Kim Jeong-bae to the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office without detention, on charges including obstruction of official duties through deception.

On the other hand, police decided not to refer Hong Myung-bo to the prosecutor's office, as no evidence was found of his direct involvement in the coaching selection process.

According to police investigation, Chung Mong-gyu and others improperly intervened in work that the National Team Strengthening Committee should have conducted independently during the coaching selection process. Subsequently, to cover up this procedural issue, they were also suspected of inserting false information into documents submitted for KFA board deliberation.

Police investigation indicated that at the time, senior KFA officials, considering previous controversies over fairness in the coaching selection process, attempted to create the appearance that proper administrative procedures had been followed.

Specifically, in documents submitted for board deliberation, the KFA included content claiming that when former National Team Strengthening Committee chairman Chung Hae-seong resigned, he had requested the KFA to continue with the subsequent coaching selection process.

However, police investigation results showed that Chung Hae-seong had only resigned at the time and made no request or entrusted the KFA with continuing the coaching selection work.

Police believe that without these false documents, the board would not have approved Hong Myung-bo's appointment as coach as originally proposed.

A police official explained: "If the documents had clearly stated that relevant procedures were not followed, the board would not have voted. We believe that deceiving the board and facilitating its decision through falsified documents constitutes obstruction of official duties through deception."

Former KFA Executive Vice President Kim Jeong-bae, initially investigated as a witness, was later reclassified as a suspect after police found evidence of his involvement in the false preparation and distribution of the relevant board deliberation documents. He was then referred to the prosecutor's office together with Chung Mong-gyu and Lee Lim-saeng.

The impact of this investigation not only confirms the procedural issues previously highlighted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's audit, but also involves further suspicion of criminal violations.

A police official stated: "The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's audit mainly highlighted procedural issues, while police investigation further revealed that to cover these procedural gaps, false documents were created and distributed to the board, which had the final decision-making power, thus influencing the board's vote through this method."

During the investigation, police interrogated approximately 60 relevant individuals, including National Team Strengthening Committee members, and conducted searches at locations including KFA headquarters, obtaining and analyzing meeting minutes, audit materials from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and digital mobile information.

During the investigation, police also discovered that Chung Mong-gyu had changed his mobile phone and Lee Lim-saeng had traveled overseas. However, considering that both actively cooperated with police summons and there was no flight risk, police did not take coercive measures but directly referred the case to the prosecutor's office, adhering to the principle of investigation without detention.

However, police did not classify Lee Lim-saeng's private meeting with Hong Myung-bo and his subsequent report on the results of that meeting as obstruction of official duties.

On the other hand, allegations of embezzlement related to matters such as Hong Myung-bo's salary contract, which had been raised previously, were also decided by police not to be referred to the prosecutor's office.

Police determined it was difficult to establish that the KFA suffered clear financial losses as a result, nor could subjective intent be proven.

Additionally, regarding other reported cases, such as accusations against former South Korean national team coach Jürgen Klinsmann and other specific coaches who received excessively high salaries, and defamation allegations stemming from conflicts between South Korean players during the Qatar Asian Cup, police also decided not to refer them to the prosecutor's office due to insufficient evidence and non-compliance with relevant legal requirements.

Tradotto dall'IA.

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