South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has ordered a thorough investigation into the national football team’s disappointing campaign at the 2026 World Cup after the country was eliminated in the group stage. The announcement came shortly after coach Hong Myung-bo officially resigned from his position.
South Korean football has entered a period of crisis following the national team’s early exit from the tournament. In response, President Lee instructed the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to conduct an in-depth analysis of the team’s World Cup campaign and identify the reasons behind the disappointing result.
President Lee admitted he was “completely baffled” by South Korea’s performance. He also appeared to question the Korea Football Association’s decision to appoint Hong Myung-bo, suggesting that professional competence was not given sufficient priority during the selection process.
In a statement shared on social media, President Lee highlighted that significant taxpayer funds and public resources have been invested in the team’s participation in the World Cup. He apologized to fans for what he described as the country’s “deep disappointment” and called on government authorities to analyze the causes of the failure while proposing reforms to the nation’s sports management system.
“We will move quickly to reform the governance of sports so that something like this never happens again,” President Lee wrote.
At almost the same time, Hong Myung-bo confirmed that he would be stepping down as head coach. The former South Korean football legend, who made 136 international caps during his playing career, acknowledged that stepping down was not an easy decision but accepted full responsibility for the World Cup failure.
“Once I accepted this position, I never considered anything other than taking responsibility until the end,” Hong said.
South Korea failed to advance after missing out on a place among the top eight teams in third place. Hong’s team collected three points in three matches, beating the Czech Republic but losing to Mexico and South Africa.
The elimination was particularly painful because South Korea entered the tournament as one of the highest-ranked teams in their group. However, at the end of the group stage, they were unable to control their own destiny and had to rely on the results of the other groups before their elimination became official.
Hong’s appointment had already been surrounded by controversy before the World Cup even began. After returning as national team coach in 2024, the Ministry of Sports reportedly asked the Korea Football Federation to review the hiring process, claiming that the federation may have violated its own internal procedures and that the interview process could hardly be considered reasonable. The KFA denied any wrongdoing at the time.
President Lee also said that the current system makes it difficult to adequately supervise, investigate and hold accountable those responsible for major appointments. He questioned whether the line between public interest and private interests has become blurred during the selection process for senior leadership positions.
Hong Myung-bo successfully led South Korea to the 2026 World Cup without losing a match during the qualifiers. However, the team’s disappointing performance on football’s biggest stage ultimately ended his tenure and sparked a new wave of criticism aimed at the Korean Football Association.
Sources: Znews
