• Police raided the Korea Football Association in an investigation regarding coach Hong Myung-bo's appointment.
• Investigation centers on allegations of "obstruction of business" during the recruitment process.
• Hong Myung-bo resigned after South Korea exited the World Cup without advancing past the group stage.
• Questions have arisen about the KFA's adherence to internal appointment rules and procedures.
• High-profile players were part of a squad labeled as South Korea's "golden generation."

Seoul police conducted a raid on the Korea Football Association (KFA) on August 6 as part of an investigation into the appointment of former coach Hong Myung-bo, focusing on allegations of “obstruction of business.” Officers carried out “search and seizure operations” amid growing scrutiny of Hong’s hiring process following South Korea's disappointing performance at the latest World Cup, where they suffered a group-stage exit after a shocking defeat to South Africa, according to South China Morning Post and Channel News Asia.

The police investigation is probing whether senior KFA officials improperly influenced Hong's appointment, allegedly violating internal recruitment policies. Furthermore, media outlets in South Korea have raised concerns about KFA's decision to appoint Hong without a satisfactory interview process, instead opting for a brief meeting, which has led to questions regarding the integrity of the selection process amid high expectations for a talented squad, often referred to as the "golden generation," featuring prominent players like Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae, according to Al Jazeera and South China Morning Post.

During a recent parliamentary hearing, Hong acknowledged his responsibility for the team’s poor performance and faced allegations of receiving preferential treatment during his appointment process. While the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism noted some procedural breaches by the KFA, it found no illegal actions and thus did not annul Hong’s contract. Police are still investigating potential misconduct related to his recruitment, further complicating the situation, according to Channel News Asia and Al Jazeera.