During a parliamentary session of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee attended by Hong and other officials from the Korea Football Association (KFA) including chairman Chung Mong-gyu, calls were made for clarification regarding the controversies surrounding his appointment in July, which has raised eyebrows among critics and football fans alike.
Hong firmly denied preferential treatment in his hiring. His statement came amid allegations that the KFA wasted months interviewing foreign candidates while secretly favoring him without a proper vetting process.
"I don't think I received any preferential treatment," Hong insisted. "I had to accept the job because I was told I was the most qualified candidate," even though he was initially reluctant about the offer, admitting how "challenging" the position is. "It became hard to ignore the proposal and I wanted to serve the country one last time," he added.
Despite ongoing controversies surrounding his appointment and the KFA, Hong vowed to remain focused on preparing the squad for the challenges ahead. He was referring to the upcoming Asian qualifiers next month leading up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Korea is set to face Jordan in Amman on Oct. 10 and Iraq in Seoul a week later.
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