Former national soccer team head coach Hong Myung-bo fired back at soccer figures who have been criticizing the Korea Football Association on YouTube and other platforms, telling them to "come inside and change it."
Hong appeared as a witness Thursday at a hearing of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee. Also present were Lee Yong-su, acting KFA president, and Chung Mong-gyu, the association's former president.
Lawmakers asked Hong for his views on former national team players who have been publicly calling out what they describe as a "cartel" within the KFA.
People Power Party lawmaker Cho Eun-hee cited remarks by Kim Young-gwang — a former national team goalkeeper turned YouTuber — who said "many problems have been covered up within a culture of school ties and seniority," and by Lee Chun-soo, who argued that "five powerbrokers who control the KFA must be removed — changing only the president will not change the KFA." She then asked Hong whether he agreed that such a cartel existed.
Hong said the association "should not take those voices lightly," adding that the critics "have worked within the association themselves, so they would know what the problems are."
He went on to say that "if they know the problems, it would be better for them to come inside, put in the effort, and build a structure they can actually change." He also expressed hope that "younger people would come in and fix the difficult parts."
Hong said that "speaking out from the outside, offering criticism, giving hard truths — all of that is fine, but once you are on the inside and realize how difficult the reality is, you will feel a sense of responsibility and be able to change even more." He added that "the people truly struggling in Korean soccer are the coaches out on the field, breathing sweat and dust."
Asked why soccer had gone from being beloved by the public to losing their trust, he said simply, "Because we did many things that lost that trust."
In his opening statement, Hong apologized for the team's performance at the North and Central America World Cup, saying, "I first want to say I am sorry to the people of this country for failing to live up to their expectations."
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