By Blessing Nweke
South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo has resigned after the country’s disappointing group-stage exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as President Lee Jae Myung ordered a government investigation into the team’s collapse.
Hong announced his resignation after South Korea failed to qualify for the knockout stage, accepting full responsibility for the campaign and apologizing to supporters. He said every decision he made was with the best interests of Korean football in mind but acknowledged that the results fell well below expectations.
South Korea opened its tournament with a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic but suffered consecutive 1-0 defeats against Mexico and South Africa. The losses left the team third in Group A with three points, ending its hopes of advancing despite entering the competition with high expectations.
The political reaction was swift. President Lee described the elimination as unacceptable and instructed the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the team’s performance. He criticized what he called favoritism and poor leadership in football administration, arguing that appointments should be based on competence rather than loyalty.
Hong’s second spell as national team coach had already attracted criticism following his appointment in 2024. Public frustration intensified during the World Cup, particularly after he left captain Son Heung-min out of the starting lineup in the decisive defeat to South Africa.
The Korea Football Association is now expected to begin the search for a new coach as officials attempt to rebuild confidence before the next major international competitions.
Original article
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