Former KFA Official Seen Smiling Day After Hong Myung-bo's Resignation

Lee Im-saeng, the former technical director of the Korea Football Association (KFA) who spearheaded the appointment of former national team head coach Hong Myung-bo, is drawing attention after being spotted at an event the day after Hong's resignation.

Lee, who currently serves as a director at the Cha Bum-kun Football Class, was seen smiling in the front row of a workshop photo posted on the football school's social media yesterday.

Lee is widely considered the key figure who led and pushed through the appointment of Hong in June 2024.

After the resignation of the former National Team Committee chairman, Lee was granted full authority by KFA President Chung Mong-gyu. He personally interviewed foreign coaching candidates before ultimately approaching Hong to offer him the position.

When public backlash erupted following the announcement of Hong's appointment, Lee stepped forward to explain eight reasons why he believed Hong was the right person for the job.

[Lee Im-saeng/Former Technical Director, Korea Football Association: Learning from the lessons of the previous two foreign coaches, I determined that he was the right person to establish a 'one team' culture while maintaining discipline within the freedom of the team.]

Comparing Hong's level to that of foreign coaches, Lee personally oversaw the offer of a high salary, reportedly reaching 2 billion won.

[Lee Im-saeng/Former Technical Director, Korea Football Association: While I cannot disclose the exact amount, I believe that Korean coaches should be treated no less favorably than foreign coaches.]

Controversy arose regarding the procedural legitimacy of the appointment, with critics pointing out that Lee, who did not have the authority to recommend a head coach, had led the process. He even faced police complaints.

Lee stepped down from his position as a KFA director last year.

As the national team led by Hong produced poor results, criticism has resurfaced against Lee for his leading role in appointing Hong to the position.

Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Kim Hye-ju | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News | Source: Cha Bum-kun Football Class SNS Channel
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.