South Korea coach Hong Myung-Bo resigns after World Cup group-stage exit

South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo resigned on Sunday, a day after the national team’s elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, following withering criticism from President Lee Jae Myung and a presidential call for a government investigation into the team’s campaign.

The 57-year-old former defender announced his departure at a press conference at the team’s training base in Zapopan, western Mexico.

“Today, I am stepping down as head coach of the South Korean men’s national football team,” Hong said, reading from a prepared statement. “I’d like to apologise to our fans who love Korean football and support the national team. We didn’t deliver the results that our fans expected, and the responsibility rests entirely with me as head coach.”

South Korea entered Group A alongside co-hosts Mexico, South Africa and Czechia with high expectations of advancing. They opened with a 2-1 victory over Czechia but suffered consecutive defeats — 1-0 to South Africa and 1-0 to Mexico — finishing third in the group with three points. Their hopes of sneaking into the round of 32 as one of the eight best third-placed teams were extinguished on Saturday when other results failed to fall their way.

President’s intervention

Hours before Hong’s resignation, President Lee Jae Myung issued a blistering social media statement, apologising to the nation and calling for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to investigate the team’s performance.

“I am not just taken aback by this unexpected outcome — I am utterly baffled,” Lee wrote on X. “When loyalty and factionalism are valued over competence, and incompetent people are appointed to leadership positions, the outcome is all but inevitable.”

The president noted that “significant national taxpayer funds and state support resources are invested even in World Cup participation” and demanded a thorough investigation into the circumstances, analysis of the causes, and measures to prevent recurrence.

Lee also pledged to push forward with reforms to sports administration “to ensure such a thing never happens again.”

Hong’s response

In an emotional address, Hong reflected on his tenure: “Over the past two years, I asked myself the same question whenever I had to make important decisions, select players or prepare for training sessions and matches: Is this the right choice for Korean football? I cannot say every decision has been the right one, but I can tell you that I have made every decision with Korean football in mind.”

He thanked his players and staff for their support, adding: “Even though I am leaving the national team, I am not abandoning Korean football altogether. I will cheer for the national team from the bottom of my heart and hope that the team will be trusted and loved by the people once again.”

Controversial tenure

Hong, considered one of Asia’s greatest football players with 136 international caps, was appointed for his second stint as national team coach in July 2024. His contract was due to run through the 2027 Asian Cup.

The appointment was controversial from the start. The Korea Football Association (KFA) came under immediate fire over the transparency and fairness of the hiring process, with critics alleging the association passed over several foreign candidates before giving Hong the job after a senior executive met him briefly. The National Assembly summoned Hong and KFA leaders for parliamentary grilling, and the sports ministry conducted an extensive probe demanding disciplinary action against KFA president Chung Mong-gyu and other senior officials.

Hong was deeply unpopular with fans throughout his tenure, frequently facing boos during home matches. A petition to dismiss him posted on the National Assembly website quickly gained the signatures required for review, while social media posts showing shops with signs banning Hong from their premises went viral in South Korea.

The decision to drop veteran captain Son Heung-min — who was omitted from the starting line-up for the crucial South Africa match in which South Korea needed only a draw to progress — backfired spectacularly and drew further criticism.

Hong also failed to guide South Korea past the group stage during his first World Cup as head coach in 2014. He is the only man to have coached South Korea at two different World Cup tournaments.

His overall record in his second stint stands at 27 matches, with 15 wins, five draws and six losses.