South Korea’s disappointing FIFA World Cup campaign has claimed its first major casualty, with head coach Hong Myung-bo stepping down from his role following the team’s early exit from the tournament.
The coach accepted responsibility for the team’s performance after South Korea failed to progress beyond the group stage despite entering the competition with high expectations.
His resignation comes after President Lee Jae Myung ordered an investigation into both the national team’s World Cup performance and the process that led to Hong’s appointment as head coach.
The president questioned whether the country’s football leadership had made the right decisions ahead of the tournament.
South Korea finished third in Group A after recording one win and two defeats, missing out on a place in the knockout stage.
The disappointing campaign sparked widespread criticism from supporters, with many calling for changes to the national team’s leadership even before Hong announced his resignation.
The government said the investigation will examine what went wrong and recommend reforms aimed at improving the future of South Korean football.
