Resignation of Former South Korean Coach Hong Myung-bo
Former national soccer team coach Hong Myung-bo, who stepped down last week after a disappointing FIFA World Cup performance, reportedly left for Los Angeles on Thursday. This departure came just days after returning to a hostile reception from fans demanding a refund of his salary.
During the tournament, South Korea hosted the event but faced disappointment, losing two of their three group matches and failing to progress. Fans had high hopes, especially since many players were from prominent European clubs. Their group included teams like Mexico, South Africa, and the Czech Republic, which were viewed as beatable opponents.
The public largely holds Hong responsible for the team’s failure. When he was appointed in 2024, he was not particularly well-received, and he became the only coach to lead the national team in consecutive World Cups, with the 2014 tournament also yielding poor results. Critics, including fans and journalists, indicated that the Korean Football Federation (KFA) should have chosen a more qualified foreign coach instead.
Hong faced criticism from various political figures, including South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, who labeled him “incompetent” in a social media post after the team’s failure.
On Thursday, Hong took a flight to California from Incheon International Airport, where he was bombarded with questions from reporters regarding his World Cup performance. He refuted claims that internal conflicts among players contributed to the failure and hinted at having more to say in the future, saying, “I have something to say, but the story will come out one day.”
According to reports from a conservative Korean newspaper, Hong’s family is believed to be in Los Angeles. It’s unclear at this point whether he plans to return to South Korea soon or what his visa situation is. While South Korean media confirmed his arrival in California, it seems he used a private exit to bypass the press.
This low-key departure seems to have been a strategy to avoid a repeat of the reception Hong and the national team faced upon returning to South Korea. The team’s arrival was originally set for the early hours to split up stream and mitigate crowd reactions, but around 50 to 100 people still showed up to express their disdain.
Angry fans shouted slogans like “Hong Myung-bo, get out of Korea!” and criticized the players while clearly directing their anger at Hong.
Before he even returned to South Korea, Hong had already resigned and apologized profusely to fans, accepting full responsibility for the team not meeting expectations.
His resignation failed to calm public outrage. Many fans called for government intervention, and some local businesses displayed signs prohibiting Hong from entering their establishments.
Due to the ongoing backlash against he and the KFA, the National Assembly has summoned Hong for questioning regarding the recruitment process. Although this did not lead to immediate government actions, President Lee raised the possibility of government intervention to investigate the reputations of coaches like Hong to prevent similar situations in the future.
In a social media post, the president remarked, “When you put an incompetent person in charge, prioritizing connections over ability, it’s easy to predict how things will turn out.” He emphasized the importance of accountability regarding staffing in national sports, citing public resources and tax funding in the process.
Additionally, multiple South Korean news outlets reported that Hong is now facing a civil lawsuit by the public, which includes a complaint against other individuals associated with the KFA for various accusations.
