Despite being far ahead in FIFA rankings, being considered strategically superior, and having an overwhelming head-to-head record of 5 wins and 1 loss against Oman before this match, Korea ended up with a draw. Moreover, their performance was underwhelming, leaving Korean football fans deeply disappointed and shocked.
This result has once again brought attention to recent allegations of corruption and misconduct within the Korea Football Association (KFA), particularly regarding the election of the KFA president and the process of appointing national team coaches.
Jung Mong-gyu recently secured his fourth consecutive term as the president of the KFA. However, there has been controversy over the election process, particularly regarding the composition of the electoral committee. Critics point out that around 34% (66 members) of the committee consisted of KFA executives and related personnel, essentially acting as “fixed votes.” Additionally, procedural issues arose, such as obtaining consent for personal information after the draw had already taken place. There are also allegations that certain groups (such as coaches and players) were deliberately excluded, raising concerns about procedural violations. The fact that the selection process and the drawing of the electoral list were conducted in secrecy has led to accusations of an opaque, “backroom-dealing” election.
Furthermore, the appointment process of head coach Hong Myung-bo has also faced criticism regarding its transparency. It has been pointed out that the decision was made internally without an open recruitment process. Additionally, suspicions of personal connections arose, as Jung Mong-gyu and Hong Myung-bo are known to have attended the same university as senior and junior alumni.
Due to these controversies, Jung Mong-gyu was summoned as a witness before the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee. The lack of transparency in the national team’s coaching appointments has been a long-standing issue, with decisions often being made behind closed doors rather than through a structured and open process.
