Korea Football Association chief Chung Mong-gyu refuted allegations of any wrongdoing in the selection process of men's national football team head coach Hong Myung-bo, denying any attempts to manipulate or conceal the truth. Chung was called to testify before the National Assembly's Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee to address concerns that the hiring of Hong was biased and unfair compared to other candidates. In a written statement released prior to the parliamentary questioning, Chung emphasized that the lack of transparency in the appointment process was not intended to deceive but rather to respect the privacy of unsuccessful candidates and maintain fairness. Chung defended the transparency and integrity of the hiring process, asserting that he always collaborated with the appropriate internal bodies responsible for such appointments. He clarified that he never imposed his personal preferences in selecting a national team head coach and expressed regret over any leaked information about the candidate selection process. Additionally, Chung extended an apology to Hong for the challenges he faced during the controversial appointment process, which drew criticism from football fans dissatisfied with the perceived favoritism and lack of formal evaluation in hiring Hong over potentially more qualified coaches.