Hong Myung-bo has resigned as head coach of South Korea's men's national football team following their failure to advance to the World Cup knockout stage. The team's elimination was confirmed on Saturday, prompting widespread criticism and a call for an investigation from President Lee Jae-myung.
Apologizing to fans on Sunday, Hong stated that the responsibility for the team's performance rests entirely with him. South Korea, ranked 32nd by FIFA, recorded two losses and one win in the tournament, finishing behind Mexico and South Africa in Group A. Their final group match, a 1-0 loss to South Africa on Thursday, ended their hopes of qualifying for the next round as one of the eight best third-placed teams under a new tournament rule.
President Lee Jae-myung expressed bewilderment at the outcome, suggesting in an X post that the early exit indicated a "failure of organisation and personnel." He further commented that when "favoritism and cronyism take precedence over competence in selecting a commander, the result is as predictable as fire burning paper."
Hong's appointment as head coach in 2024 had been met with controversy. While a celebrated former player who captained South Korea to a semi-final finish in the 2002 World Cup, his previous coaching stint in 2014 saw the team eliminated from the group stage without a single win. The decision to reappoint him was criticized by many fans who felt the Korea Football Association overlooked more qualified foreign candidates in favor of an internal appointment.
"Accepting the job was not an easy choice," Hong said on Sunday. "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 added that he would continue to cheer for the national team. Reports indicate that South Korean police are monitoring for security threats at Incheon Airport and other locations following an online death threat made against Hong.