Sports ministry to announce findings of probe into top football body next week

The sports ministry will announce the findings of its audit into the Korea Football Association (KFA) next week, its minister said Tuesday.

Yu In-chon, minister of culture, sports and tourism, confirmed that his ministry will share details of its probe into the KFA’s hiring of the men’s national team head coach, Hong Myung-bo, on Oct. 2.

The KFA has faced heat for skipping its vetting process to bring in Hong in July, after spending the five previous months interviewing foreign-born candidates. “I think the hiring process is extremely important. It’s not a matter that involves just a couple of individuals, and we are looking into the matter,” Yu said during a questioning session for the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee. “We will announce what we’ve found on the coaching issue on Oct. 2. We will point out what went wrong. And it will be up to the KFA to determine the fate of the head coach.”

The ministry launched its probe into the KFA’s operations a few days after Hong’s appointme
nt, responding to the growing public discontent over the decision.

The ministry also plans to announce measures to address outdated practices and customs at sports federations sometime in October, an official said.

Source: Yonhap News Agency