Overview
- Police carried out search-and-seizure operations at KFA offices in Cheonan and Seoul on Thursday, seizing documents, smartphones and computers as part of an "obstruction of business" investigation into the 2024 appointment of Hong Myung‑bo.
- Investigators questioned Hong as a suspect earlier this week and are probing whether senior officials improperly intervened in his hiring, following a sports ministry finding in October 2024 that the federation breached its own appointment rules.
- A civic group has filed complaints alleging obstruction of duties, breach of trust and coercion tied to the appointment, and police opened the investigation about two years ago before it gained fresh momentum after South Korea's June World Cup exit.
- Separate reporting of a 2016 government audit showed the KFA used corporate cards to pay for sexual entertainment for visiting referees in 2011–2012, prompting the federation to issue a formal apology and pledge sweeping reforms.
- No criminal charges have been announced yet, but the raids, parliamentary scrutiny, resignations and the resurfaced audit increase the likelihood of further legal and governance actions and raise questions about potential FIFA or domestic sanctions.