'We are not looking to find fault': Culture Ministry cools flames over KFA probe

Second Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Jang Mi-ran

Second Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Jang Mi-ran extended an olive branch to the embattled Korea Football Association on Wednesday, clarifying that the ministry is not looking for problems at the KFA but offering to work together to find solutions.

Jang’s remark follows a week of back-and-forth between the Culture Ministry and the football association, which has come under fire due to alleged irregularities in the sudden hiring of Korean national team manager Hong Myung-bo earlier this month.

A Culture Ministry official on Monday told the JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, that the ministry will launch an investigation into whether the association functions appropriately and followed proper procedures in the appointment of Hong.

Any issue discovered during the review will be dealt with by the ministry, the official said.

The Culture Ministry’s call came after the KFA announced that then-Ulsan HD manager Hong would take over as national team boss on July 7, filling a post that had been vacant for five months after the KFA sacked Jurgen Klinsmann in February.

The appointment was immediately controversial, not only because Hong had previously indicated his intention to reject the offer or because he would have to leave Ulsan in the middle of the 2024 season, but also because KFA Technical Director Lee Lim-saeng appeared to have bypassed the selection committee and unilaterally made the appointment on his own.

The government-run Korea Sports Ethics Center also launched an investigation into the KFA.

In a response to the investigation, Yonhap News Agency quoted a KFA official on Tuesday criticizing the ministry for attempting to involve itself in a sports organization. Another official reportedly told News1 that government attempts to control the KFA could result in punishment from FIFA, or even disqualification from the 2026 World Cup.

The official appeared to be referring to Article 14 of the FIFA Statutes, which determines that member associations must “manage their affairs independently and ensure that their own affairs are not influenced by any third parties in accordance with article 19 of these Statutes.”

Jang also mentioned FIFA on Wednesday, reiterating that an investigation is necessary but emphasizing the need for cooperation.

“The Culture Ministry is in charge,” Jang said, according to Korean outlet Sports Seoul. “But we are not looking to find fault. Isn’t it an issue of public interest? Professionalism and autonomy must both be respected.

“However, if there have been irregularities in appointments, a competent ministry cannot just ignore it.”

“A lot of people seem to be worrying about FIFA and the World Cup. It’s true that this isn’t a situation where the ministry should be heavy-handed. But if there’s anything that we can do, we have to do it. That means we need to find a solution by working together.”

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]