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Former head coach of the South Korean national football team, Hong Myung-bo. / Yonhap News

Former head coach of the national football team, Hong Myung-bo, refuted media reports that he had improperly used a corporate credit card.

In a statement released on July 29, former coach Hong stated, "During my tenure, I never received a single point of criticism or request for corrective action regarding my use of the corporate card," claiming that "the card was used strictly within the designated purpose and limits according to Korea Football Association regulations."

Earlier, JTBC reported that former coach Hong spent 14.08 million won on a corporate card near his home, including 3.75 million won spent on weekends and holidays such as Children's Day.

In response, former coach Hong countered, "Weekend meetings were essential. The corporate card usage on weekends and public holidays comprised meals for the coaching staff and operational expenses incurred while performing duties for the national team." He added, "One of the key responsibilities of the national team head coach and coaching staff is to observe K League players in person," and noted that "it is standard practice for the coaching staff to visit stadiums on weekends and holidays to observe and assess players, as well as hold meetings."

Regarding the issue of usage near his home, former coach Hong claimed, "The national team convened twice last year at a hotel located in Jeongja-dong, Bundang-gu," explaining, "This was not personal spending, but rather the result of concentrated business expenditures related to the accommodation of foreign coaching staff and the gathering and operation of the national team." Regarding usage at Hanwoo (Korean beef) specialty restaurants and Chinese restaurants, he stated, "When visiting for personal reasons, I used my personal credit card." Concerning usage at gukbap (rice soup) restaurants, he also clarified, "I have never dined alone using the corporate card."

Former coach Hong further explained, "All foreign coaches of the national team resided in Bundang-gu," adding, "The national team coaching staff used a shared office space in Bundang-gu for meetings and work, and meals were also taken within Bundang-gu."

Former coach Hong expressed, "It is deeply regrettable that this report interpreted legitimate business expenditures as personal simply because they occurred near my residence, without considering the working environment of the national team and the residential setup of the coaching staff," stating that "evidencing documents are being prepared so that full explanations can be provided at the hearing."

The National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on July 30 regarding the operational issues of the Korea Football Association that surfaced following the team's group stage elimination at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Former coach Hong, who resigned immediately after the World Cup matches and briefly left for the U.S. after returning home, is reported to have recently returned to South Korea to prepare for his appearance at the hearing.

                                                                                                           Lee Jang-won