The arrow is flying through the Korea Football Association, which appointed Klinsmann, amid widespread public opinion on the replacement of national soccer team coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
On the 13th, a civic group filed a complaint against Chung Mong-kyu, president of the Korea Football Association, who was accused of being responsible for the appointment of Klinsmann, and some soccer fans held a rally in front of the soccer center and criticized Klinsmann and Chung.
Earlier in the day, the People’s Livelihood Countermeasures Committee (common people’s committee) filed a complaint against Chairman Chung Mong-kyu on charges of coercion, obstruction of business, and breach of duty to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
The committee claimed that Chairman Chung interfered with the work of association officials by forcing them to unilaterally appoint Klinsmann.
“The only way to meet the public sentiment is to dismiss Klinsmann and the head coach for incompetence and neglect of their duties regardless of the contract,” the committee said. “If the dismissal of Klinsmann resulted from the defendant’s unilateral salary decision, including the penalty, the amount to be paid for two and a half years if not to be dismissed, and the amount paid after the initial contract is also public money, it is a breach of duty.”
“Coach Klinsmann violated the contract in that he tarnished Korea’s reputation at the Asian Cup in performing as the coach of the Korean national soccer team,” the committee said. “If Klinsmann claims a penalty, we will ask the public for their opinion and seek damages against Klinsmann and the head coach.”
In addition, four soccer fans held a rally in front of the soccer center in Sinmun-ro, Jongno-gu, and criticized Coach Klinsmann and Chairman Chung.
They put up banners saying, “Execute Klinsmann immediately. Disclosure of the background and process of appointment and annual salary standards,” and “Start of reform of the KFA. Resign all Chung Mong-kyu and his staff.” “KFA Chairman Chung Mong-kyu should resign if he is not capable of doing so. And immediately dismiss Klinsmann as well.”
Prior to this, a soccer fan reportedly posted a petition for national consent to dismiss Klinsmann on the National Assembly’s national consent petition site on the 9th.
“I strongly petition for the replacement of coach Klinsmann, the mastermind who has made him a mockery of Asian countries with his worst performance,” the author claimed.
“Isn’t it the coach’s responsibility to maximize his performance by trimming the golden generation, which literally consists of resources for starting a prestigious European team, such as Son Heung-min (Tottenham) and Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), who shines as the MVP of the 2023 Trope de Champion finals (MOM), and Kim Min-jae, the starting center back of Bayern Munich in the German Bundesliga,” the writer said. “According to some media articles, the penalty for the replacement of Klinsmann is 6.8 billion won, which should be fully responsible for the Korea Football Association that appointed him. The Asian regional qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA North-Central America World Cup are also unstable, and even if they advance to the finals, they have no expectations because of their colorless tactics and performance.”
Meanwhile, the KFA will hold a meeting on Wednesday to discuss Klinsmann’s future. Klinsmann, who is based in the U.S., will reportedly participate in the event through burns.
As a result of the meeting, soccer fans’ resistance is expected to increase if the Korea Football Association presents a stopgap measure other than the replacement of Klinsmann.