South Korean Parliament Summons National Team Coach After Failure to Qualify for 2026 World Cup
Former South Korea national team coach Hong Myung-bo appeared before lawmakers on Thursday to answer questions regarding the team’s failure to advance past the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, acknowledging that he bears “full responsibility” for the failure.
Hong resigned from his post following the team’s elimination, which concluded on the 19th with Spain’s 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final. He appeared before a hearing of the parliamentary Committee on Sports and Culture, which is investigating the performance of the Korea Football Association.
The former international defender, who represented South Korea at the 2002 World Cup hosted on home soil, faced harsh criticism from fans, analysts, and politicians since the national team was eliminated after a surprising 1-0 loss to South Africa in the final group stage match.
He also faced boos upon his return to the country due to public anger over his decision to bench veteran captain Son Heung-min for the South Africa match, a game in which the team only needed a draw to secure a spot in the round of 32.
President Lee Jae-myung blamed “incompetent individuals” appointed to leadership positions for the failure in a statement that did not name Hong directly but indicated that “loyalties and patronage” had influenced appointment mechanisms at the highest levels of the sport.
Lawmakers questioned Hong (57) regarding allegations of preferential treatment when he was appointed national team coach in 2024, amid reports that union hiring officials conducted interviews at his residential neighborhood, which were described as lacking transparency.
Hong told lawmakers, “I believe appropriate procedures were followed,” denying that he had requested “any privileges or special benefits.”
Lawmakers also raised reports that he received a salary of 3.8 billion won ($2.6 million), a figure said to be among the highest for national team coaches.
He apologized for the team’s failure to reach the round of 32 at the tournament, which was held for the first time with 48 participating teams in Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
“I was the coach, and this position is ultimately judged by results,” he said, adding, “Since our performance at this World Cup did not meet the required standard, I take full responsibility for everything.”
South Korean media described the 2026 national team squad as a “golden generation,” placing high hopes on a team featuring former Tottenham star Son Heung-min, Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae, and former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in.
