Ruling, opposition parties clash after Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-chan dropped from football hearing witness list

The ruling and opposition parties clashed Friday after the National Assembly reversed its decision to summon Son Heung-min (LAFC) and Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers) as reference witnesses at a parliamentary hearing on the Korea Football Association — just one day after the move was announced.

Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Im O-gyeong, who had submitted the request for the two players, said Friday on her Facebook page that she had withdrawn it "after comprehensively considering the party's views, the players' match schedules and their positions." People Power Party floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik fired back the same day, writing on his own Facebook page that the Democratic Party was turning the National Assembly into "a showboating parliament, not a working parliament."

The National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee voted Thursday to hold a KFA hearing on July 22, confirming 13 witnesses and 10 reference witnesses. The inclusion of Son and Hwang — both of whom played in the 2026 North America World Cup — drew immediate controversy. Unlike formal witnesses, reference witnesses are not legally required to appear.

Im said she had requested the two players because she wanted to hear from active players "who have experienced the association, the national team and overseas football systems up close," adding that "reform that does not reflect the voices of players on the ground is meaningless."

She said the withdrawal was "not meant to burden the players, but a decision to create a better hearing for the development of Korean football."

Jeong said Son and Hwang "have already returned to their clubs after the World Cup and are preparing for matches," and that Democratic Party lawmakers "already knew the players could not attend even if called as reference witnesses. The problem starts with calling them knowing full well they would not come."

He then criticized the Democratic Party, saying its decision to name the two players as reference witnesses was "a selfish political act showing not even a shred of consideration for the players — done purely for their own political purposes."

Football commentator Park Moon-sung had also criticized the decision to list Son and Hwang as reference witnesses. On his YouTube channel "Dalsune Live" on Thursday, Park said, "This makes the hearing look ridiculous. Everything gets buried under the Son Heung-min issue, and we can't get to the real substance of what we need to address."

The hearing is expected to examine the hiring processes of former national team head coaches Jurgen Klinsmann and Hong Myung-bo, as well as allegations of backroom dealings at the KFA.