South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo resigned on Sunday, just one day after his team was eliminated at the group stage of the World Cup and in the wake of sharp criticism from the country’s president.
The 57-year-old, a former captain who has now taken charge for a second spell, had already been involved in a World Cup exit at the group stage once before—after a similar failure in 2014.
South Korea were widely expected to progress from Group A, which also featured co-hosts Mexico, along with South Africa and the Czech Republic.
Instead, they lost 1-0 to South Africa and were beaten by Mexico as well, ending the group with three points—achieved only through a 2-1 victory over the Czechs.
With their tournament under threat, South Korea then relied on the possibility of qualifying for the knockout phase as one of the eight best third-placed teams.
However, that route was closed on Saturday when other results went against them, prompting Hong to accept responsibility with his resignation on Sunday.
“Over the past two years I asked myself the same question whenever I had to make important decisions, select players or prepare for training session and matches: Is this the right choice for Korean football?” Hong told reporters in Mexico, as reported by Yonhap News Agency. “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.”
Hong stepped down only hours after President Lee Jae Myung publicly attacked the team’s performances, blaming “incompetent people” and issuing an apology to the public.
“When loyalty and factionalism are valued over competence, and incompetent people are appointed to leadership positions, the outcome is all but inevitable,” Lee wrote in a post on X. “I offer my deepest apologies to the public for the profound disappointment caused by this unacceptable outcome.
“We will move swiftly to reform sports administration to ensure that nothing like this happens again,” he added, without providing further details.
Hong’s standing had been under pressure long before the tournament, with fans and parts of the South Korean media already viewing him unfavourably.
During the competition, one of his most contentious calls came when he left experienced captain Son Heung-min out of the match against South Africa—despite South Korea only needing a draw to secure advancement. The decision backfired.
Son, who will turn 34 next month, has since indicated that this World Cup may be his last, previously suggesting he could step away from international football.
Hong, who was booed during home matches after his appointment in July 2024, said after resigning that he will always remain a supporter of the national side.
“Even though I am leaving the national team, I am not abandoning Korean football altogether,” Hong said.
“I will cheer for the national team from the bottom of my heart and hope that the team will be trusted and loved by the people once again.”
