South Korea football coach resigns as president calls for probe into World Cup loss

South Korea’s World Cup campaign ended not with a dramatic knockout round heartbreak, but with something arguably worse: a quiet group-stage exit and a political firestorm back home.

Head coach Hong Myung-bo resigned on June 28, 2026, taking full responsibility for the national team’s elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The team managed just three points across their group matches, with the final nail coming via a 1-0 loss to South Africa. Hours later, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung described himself as “utterly baffled” by the result and called for an official government investigation into what went wrong.

From the pitch to the presidential office

President Lee directed the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to investigate the reasons behind the team’s poor showing. But the probe isn’t just about tactics or player selection. It’s also targeting the Korean Football Association’s hiring processes, specifically the decisions that led to Hong Myung-bo’s appointment as head coach in the first place.

The KFA was already facing scrutiny over its leadership and decision-making practices before the World Cup even kicked off. Controversies surrounding team management and player performance expectations had been simmering for months. The group-stage exit just turned up the heat to a boil.

Hong Myung-bo’s complicated legacy

Hong Myung-bo previously served as the national team’s head coach from 2013 to 2014, making his return to the role a decision that carried both nostalgia and baggage.

South Korea’s World Cup history makes this sting even more. The country co-hosted the 2002 tournament and reached the semifinals, a run that remains one of the most celebrated moments in the nation’s sporting history.

What this means going forward

The substantial taxpayer investment in the national football program gives the government legitimate standing to ask hard questions. The inquiry into the KFA’s hiring processes could have far-reaching consequences if investigators determine that the coach’s appointment was influenced by factors beyond merit.

For the KFA, the association needs to demonstrate that it can reform itself before the government imposes reforms from the outside. FIFA historically frowns on government interference in national football associations, but when a president is publicly calling for investigations, the KFA’s room to maneuver shrinks considerably.

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