Former Korea Football Association (KFA) President Chung Mong-gyu, who is suspected of wrongfully interfering in the appointment of former national team coach Hong Myung-bo, has returned home after undergoing more than 11 hours of police questioning.

Exiting the Financial Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Metropolitan Investigation Group at around 11:30 PM yesterday (the 2nd), former President Chung met with reporters and stated, "I faithfully underwent the investigation."

Earlier yesterday at around noon, police summoned former President Chung for the first time as a suspect on charges including obstruction of business by deceit.

Prior to the questioning, former President Chung claimed there was no unfair interference in the appointment process of the coach. Directly after the interrogation, when asked by reporters if he had interfered in the appointment of former coach Hong, he again answered "Yes" [meaning no, as the question was phrased in the negative in Korean], and to the question of whether he replaced his mobile phone to evade investigation, he answered, "I have never done such a thing."

Previously, the civic group People's Livelihood Countermeasures Committee raised suspicions that former President Chung wrongfully intervened in the appointment process of former coach Hong in 2024 and filed a complaint against him on charges of coercion, intimidation, obstruction of business, and occupational breach of trust.

In response, the police are investigating whether former President Chung used his authority and status as president to obstruct the business of the board of directors, which holds the final approval for the coach's appointment.

It is reported that the police intensively pressed former President Chung on whether he actually intervened in the appointment process of former coach Hong and whether he exerted pressure on association officials or board members, such as former technical director Lee, to secure Hong's appointment.

This marks the first time the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has summoned and investigated former President Chung, the apex of these suspicions, since taking over the case from the Jongno Police Station on July 1.

Since July 2024, the Jongno Police Station had been assigned a total of eight complaints and investigated association officials, including former President Chung and former technical director Lee.

However, without taking any significant action for about two years after the assignment, the police transferred the case to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Metropolitan Investigation Group following criticism from public opinion and reprimandary remarks by President Lee Jae-myung regarding "personnel failures" after the World Cup group-stage elimination this year.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency conducted a raid on the Korea Football Association and other locations on the 6th, and until recently, summoned and investigated a number of National Team Committee members and board directors.

(Photo: Yonhap News)