Lee Im-saeng, technical director of the Korea Football Association, who set fire to the “Hong Myung-bo incident,” eventually expressed his resignation because he was “unfair.”
The National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee held a plenary session of the National Assembly on pending questions about the Korea Football Association from 10 a.m. on the 24th. Chung Mong-kyu, chairman of the Korea Football Association, Hong Myung-bo, coach of the Korean national soccer team, Lee Im-saeng, technical director of the Korea Football Association, Jeong Hae-sung, former chairman of the Korea Power Reinforcement Committee, Park Joo-ho, former member of the National Team’s National Power Reinforcement Committee, Yoo In-chon, culture and sports minister, Jang Mi-ran, second vice minister of culture and sports, and Lee Ki-heung, chairman of the Korea Sports Association, were selected as witnesses.
Lee Im-saeng, a board member who was criticized by lawmakers, abruptly announced his resignation. Lee was a center back for the Korean national team when he was a player and played for the Korea Elephant for Merit and the Busan iKONS. After retirement, he started coaching Shenzhen FC and Tianjin Tuda, and served as the Samsung manager for Suwon Samsung. After leaving Suwon, he came to the Korea Football Association, where he served as the head of the Korea Technology Development Committee and took over the role of technology director.
Director Lee Im-saeng took over the position where Chung Hae-sung, chairman of the Korea Power Reinforcement Committee, resigned suddenly. He was criticized for the lack of proper appointment of a coach even when Chung Hae-sung, chairman of the committee, and the disappointing administration of the Korea Football Association, but when director Lee Im-saeng suddenly took full control and appointed Hong Myung-bo, public opinion exploded. Suspicions continued to arise that Hong Myung-bo, who was nominated as a coach for his personal network without following normal procedures.
If he had clearly stated how and why he appointed Hong, he would have calmed down the public opinion and given justification for now. However, at a press conference to announce his appointment, director Lee Im-saeng made a mistake. Public opinion worsened as he failed to adequately explain the reason for Hong’s appointment and only made remarks that he could not understand. Consequently, the Korea Football Association came to the National Assembly as a decisive opportunity.
First of all, lawmakers doubted that director Lee Im-saeng replaced the work of chairman of the power reinforcement committee. Although director Lee Im-saeng emphasized that there was no problem since July, lawmaker Kang Yoo-jung of the Democratic Party of Korea told Chairman Chung Mong-kyu, “It is a violation of the articles of association that director Lee Im-saeng concurrently holds office. Since the appointment of director Hong Myung-bo, there has been no content on the board of directors, agendas, or decisions held by the board of directors. The board of directors and the power reinforcement committee are different. It is said that only the power reinforcement committee consulted with each other. This is a violation of the articles of association, a violation of the articles of association. To be fair is to make and violate the articles of association itself.”
When director Lee Im-saeng persuaded director Hong Myung-bo, it was revealed that he did not have an interview like other candidates, but asked for a de facto interview and a request, and all lawmakers, including the Democratic Party of Korea, the People’s Power, and the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, bombarded each other with carpet bombs, regardless of ruling and opposition parties. Director Lee Im-saeng was no different from the press conference when he announced his appointment. He continued his unconvincing argument, suddenly announced a bakery meeting with director Hong Myung-bo, and continued his emotional appeal.
The decisive situation came during a questionnaire by Min Hyung-bae of the Democratic Party of Korea. Min Hyung-bae, a member of the Power Enhancement Committee, released a Kakao Talk message and claimed that director Lee Im-saeng did not agree to replace the director’s appointment as a supervisor and conciliated him. Lee Im-saeng, a director of the Power Enhancement Committee, said, “All members of the Power Enhancement Committee have been agreed. I was appointed after receiving rights according to normal procedures.” 안전놀이터
Director Lee Im-saeng said, “It’s up to my honor. I will resign. I asked him to decide and got his consent. I also talked to Park Joo-ho for 2 minutes and 44 seconds. I will resign. It’s not true that I didn’t get consent (from the members of the power reinforcement committee).”
He resigned while answering questions. As a result, he did not resign after taking responsibility for the incident and reflecting on the wrongdoings, but rather resigned because he was frustrated. Rather than giving an explanation based on data and evidence, he said he was resigning because it was unfair and he couldn’t stand it. When he got the last chance to speak, Lee Im-saeng, a board member, said, “Korean players have difficulty running due to grass conditions. Lawmakers asked him to make efforts to help Korean players play on the grass for the sake of Korean soccer.”
Those were the last remarks that made us doubt our ears. Although grass was a K-League issue, it had nothing to do with the pending questions. I thought he was bowing his head or explaining his unfairness because he expressed his intention to resign right beforehand, but everyone was surprised when he mentioned the grass issue and appealed to lawmakers for help.
Jeon Jae-soo, chairman of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, strongly reprimanded, “Those who really need help (on that matter) are those who are sitting down. The Korea Football Association should take responsibility and sincerely reflect on itself. It was very disappointing that he seemed to be trying to pass the buck and avoid it when he gave me the last chance to speak.”
If the resignation of director Lee Im-saeng is accepted, he will leave the Korea Football Association, but the aftermath of the “Hong Myung-bo incident” is expected to continue. The departure of director Lee Im-saeng, who directly created the Hong Myung-bo incident, is not the end, but an abnormal procedure gave him full power and appointed Hong Myung-bo, and all the people who created the controversy should take responsibility. Like director Lee Im-saeng, he just wants to admit his mistake, bow his head and take responsibility.
