2026 World Cup: resignation of South Korean coach Hong Myung-bo after premature elimination and president's call for a government investigation
By OnzeActu · · 3 min read
Following the elimination of South Korea in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, coach Hong Myung-bo left his post. The South Korean president criticizes the team's management and calls for a government investigation into Hong's hiring process.
South Korea saw their run at the 2026 World Cup end in the group stage after their 1-0 defeat against South Africa on Wednesday. Shortly after this setback, Hong Myung-bo, coach of the Taegeuk Warriors, announced his resignation. This announcement comes in a climate of strong anger, fueled in particular by criticism from South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. The latter called on the Ministry of Sports to investigate the results of the national team and the way in which Hong was recruited, pointing out “favoritism” to the detriment of skills.
On social media, Lee Jae Myung, former manager of a professional club and fervent supporter of the national team, said he was “not only disconcerted but completely stunned” by this unexpected outcome. “Ultimately, this demonstrates once again that everything is a personnel matter,” he insisted. “When favoritism and nepotism prevail over competence in choosing a leader, the outcome is as predictable as burning paper. »
South Korea won its first Group A match against the Czech Republic (2-1) but then lost to Mexico (0-1) then to South Africa (0-1). With just three points collected, their elimination was confirmed after Saturday's results. The South African triumph allows Bafana Bafana to qualify for the round of 16 for the first time in their World Cup history. In the group stage, South Africa lost 2-0 against Mexico and drew 1-1 against the Czech Republic.
Hong Myung-bo's management of the squad has been widely criticized, notably his decision not to field LAFC star Son Heung-min in the starting XI against South Africa. The coach explained that he wanted to let his player come into play later, when he could have exploited the opponent's fatigue. Finally, Son came on at the start of the second half, while both teams were still fresh, a decision Hong admitted he did not want to repeat.
In a statement, Hong Myung-bo apologized to the South Korean people: “I offer my sincerest apologies to the Korean public who supported our team. Today I am resigning. Accepting this position was never easy, but from the start, my only goal was to fulfill my duties with responsibility to the end. »
The exasperation with Hong Myung-bo was so great that the national broadcaster Korean Broadcasting System reportedly blurred his face during its post-match press conference. President Lee also mentioned the use of public funds to finance the national team's participation, thus justifying his desire for a thorough government investigation. “Given the scale of national public funds and state resources invested even for simple participation in the World Cup, I ask the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to meticulously examine the circumstances of this incident, analyze the causes and develop comprehensive measures to prevent this from happening again. »
“I am deeply sorry for having caused such disappointment to the public during this absurd affair,” he continued. “We will quickly initiate a reform of sports administration so that this never happens again. »
Hong Myung-bo, considered one of the greatest Asian players and defenders in history, played in four World Cups as a player between 1990 and 2002. Appointed coach for the first time in 2014, he resigned after a winless World Cup. His reinstatement in 2024 was accompanied by controversy, with the Sports Ministry accusing the Korea Football Federation of ignoring its internal rules, including failing to conduct a reasonable interview process for Hong's appointment.