South Korean President Demands Probe After World Cup Exit

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has urged the country's sports ministry to investigate the national team's disappointing exit from the World Cup group stage. Head coach Hong Myung-bo announced his resignation, citing the responsibility he felt for the team's performance. President Lee expressed his bewilderment at the team's failure to progress, implicitly criticizing the South Korean Football Association's (KFA) decision to appoint Hong, suggesting that competence was not prioritized in the selection process.

Hong, who served as head coach since 2024, acknowledged the difficulty of the decision to resign, emphasizing his commitment to the role despite the challenges. His resignation follows South Korea's elimination on Saturday, as they failed to qualify for the knockout stages, finishing as one of the eight-best third-place teams. Despite victories over the Czech Republic, the team suffered defeats against Mexico and South Africa.

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In a statement on social media, President Lee highlighted the significant taxpayer investment in the team's World Cup participation and apologized for the disappointment caused to the public. He called for a thorough investigation by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to understand the factors leading to the team's underperformance and to implement reforms in sports administration to prevent similar issues in the future.

Hong, a former celebrated player with 136 caps for South Korea, had a previous tenure as head coach in 2013. His appointment in 2024 was met with skepticism from the sports ministry, which questioned the KFA's adherence to its own rules during the selection process. The KFA has denied any wrongdoing. President Lee criticized the lack of accountability in the appointment process, indicating a failure to separate public interests from private ones.