South Korea coach resigns after World Cup group-stage exit as president demands sports reform

The exit that triggered an apology

South Korea failed to reach the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, finishing third in a group many considered manageable. The team beat the Czech Republic 2-1 in its opener, then lost to co-hosts Mexico and to South Africa, collecting only three points. Hours after the final whistle sealed the elimination, head coach Hong Myung-bo appeared before media at the team’s training camp in Zapopan, Mexico.

I sincerely apologise to the Korean public who supported our team. Today I am resigning from my position.

The president’s anger

Even before the coach quit, president Lee Jae-myung had taken to X to express fury. He described the result as an “unacceptable” disappointment and said he was “baffled” and found the outcome “absurd.” The language escalated quickly: in a longer statement he declared that people “incapable of command” had been put in charge.

When loyalty and factionalism matter more than competence and incompetent people are appointed to leadership posts, the result is almost pre-programmed.

The president singled out the football association’s hiring of Hong, arguing the appointment was driven by personal ties rather than merit. He asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to investigate exactly how the campaign collapsed and how public money was used.

The Son decision

One flashpoint that drew heavy criticism was Hong’s choice to leave star forward Son Heung-min out of the starting line-up for the decisive match against South Africa. The decision became a lightning rod for fans and commentators who had watched Son lead the attack in previous tournaments. The subsequent 1-0 defeat confirmed the worst fears and pushed the coach’s tactical call into the centre of the public debate.

Echoes of 2014

For many in South Korea the scene felt grimly familiar. Hong had already led the national side at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where the team managed a single point and exited at the group stage. Despite that failure he was re-appointed in July 2024. South Korean media were unsparing: the Korea Herald wrote that the exit “reopens old wounds about coach Hong and the association’s leadership,” while the Korea Times reported that fans and experts condemned “the worst performance in the history of Korean football.”

Maybe we have expected this for years. It is sad that we have reached a point where we need to look back and ask why we ended up here.

Former captain Park Ji-sung’s televised remark captured a national mood of long‑building frustration that had finally spilled into public and political space.

What comes next

The coach’s resignation is clearly only the first chapter. Lee has promised swift reform of the sports administration and a forensic examination of the association’s recruitment and governance. With the government now framing the World Cup campaign as a matter of taxpayer value, the investigation is likely to reach beyond one man’s departure.