South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has called for a government investigation into the national soccer team's surprising early exit from the 2026 World Cup, expressing significant disappointment and questioning the competence of the coaching staff. The team's elimination followed a series of unexpected results in the group stage, culminating in a defeat that prevented them from advancing.
President Lee stated he was "utterly baffled" by the performance and labeled head coach Hong Myung-bo as "incompetent." The coach has announced his resignation after the team finished the group stage with three points, failing to secure a spot among the top eight third-place teams advancing to the Round of 32.
Hong, who previously coached the national team from 2013-14, was rehired in 2024. President Lee suggested that the hiring process itself may have been flawed, prioritizing personal connections over public interest. "The reason such botched appointments — which fail to distinguish between public and private interests and prioritize personal gain over the public good — are possible is that it is impossible or difficult to monitor, check, and hold those with appointment authority accountable," Lee wrote on the social platform X.
The president attributed the elimination to "organizational and personnel failures." He emphasized the significant investment of taxpayer money and national resources into the World Cup campaign, urging the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to thoroughly investigate the circumstances, analyze the causes, and implement measures to prevent future recurrences.
South Korea, initially considered a strong contender in their group alongside Mexico, Czechia, and South Africa, began the tournament with a 2-1 victory over Czechia. However, they subsequently lost 1-0 to Mexico. A single point against South Africa was needed to advance, but a surprising 1-0 loss to the latter resulted in their elimination, while South Africa progressed.
Hong Myung-bo acknowledged the difficulty of his role but stated his commitment to responsibility until the end. "It was not an easy decision for me to take this role, but once I took it, I thought about nothing else except being responsible until the very last moment," he said regarding his decision to step down.