Ex-KFA chief replaced phone after South Korea's World Cup exit

Former Korea Football Association President Chung Mong-gyu replaced his mobile phone shortly after South Korea was eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage, according to reports.

MBC reported Saturday that the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Financial Crime Investigation Unit had identified signs that Chung switched phones following the national team's failure to advance to the round of 32 in late June.

The timing of the phone replacement coincides with the intensification of the police investigation. A related complaint case that the Jongno Police Station had been investigating for about two years was transferred to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Financial Crime Investigation Unit on July 1.

MBC said the phone change occurred around the time police were ramping up their investigation into allegations that Chung and former KFA technical director Lee Im-saeng had improperly interfered in the coaching appointment process.

The national team, then under coach Hong Myung-bo, suffered a 0-1 defeat to South Africa in their third Group A match at the 2026 World Cup in Monterrey, Mexico, on June 25, finishing with one win and two losses to place third in the group. Eight of the 12 third-place teams across all groups could advance to the round of 32, so Hong's side stayed in Mexico for three more days awaiting results — but elimination was confirmed June 28 when the Democratic Republic of Congo came from behind to beat Uzbekistan 3-1.

That same day, President Lee Jae-myung called Hong an "incompetent commander" and directed the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to push for reforms of Korean football and the KFA. Hong resigned the following day from Mexico, and both Chung and Hong returned to South Korea in the early hours of June 30.

MBC also reported that investigators had imposed a travel ban on Chung and arranged to be notified upon the arrival of Lee Im-saeng, who had been staying in Cambodia, in early July. Both measures were later lifted, and Lee recently returned to South Korea and was questioned as a suspect, the broadcaster said.