South Korea’s early World Cup exit triggers first resignations amid calls for reform

South Korea’s national team exited the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage with just one win — a 1-0 victory over Ghana on 18 November 2025 — and has since seen head coach Hong Myung-bo resign. Chung Mong-gyu, president of the Korea Football Association (KFA), followed on 6 July. The team finished third in their group with 3 points from three matches (1W-0D-2L) and is currently on a three-game winning run (WWWLD).

BBC reported that angry fans greeted the players at Incheon Airport, banging drums and shouting “Hong Myung-bo out,” while criticizing the decision to bench Son Heung-min for the match against South Africa. Hong accepted full responsibility and stepped down. President Lee Jae-myung also weighed in on social media, writing that “promoting loyalty over competence leads to predictable failure.”

Why structural reform is unavoidable

International outlets framed the crisis as a governance failure rather than a coaching issue. BBC noted Hong’s previous exit after the 2014 World Cup group-stage collapse and argued that “changing coaches alone won’t fix the problem.” Nikkei highlighted that since Guus Hiddink, only Paulo Bento completed a four-year term, and that repeatedly replacing coaches after poor results has become a pattern.

The controversy centers on Hong’s 2024 appointment. Former national team player Park Ju-ho claimed the selection committee was informed of the decision only after it was made, while Park Ji-sung publicly questioned the KFA’s credibility. An official audit reportedly found that an unauthorized technical director effectively interviewed Hong on Chung’s instruction and that the appointment was decided before the board vote — contradicting the KFA’s claim of procedural correctness. The scandal has triggered a joint government audit and police investigation.

Foreign media spot Korea’s cycle of repeated failure

BBC contrasted Korea’s 10-plus coaching changes since the 2002 co-hosted World Cup semifinal with Japan’s long-term philosophy under Moriyasu. Nikkei pointed out that despite fielding what was arguably the most talented squad in Korean history — with players proven in the Premier League — poor organizational execution prevented results. Both outlets described the crisis as a failure of governance, not individual performance.

Following Chung’s resignation, South Korea’s National Assembly Culture and Tourism Committee will hold a hearing on 22 July to question Hong and scrutinize KFA practices. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has launched a “K-League Innovation Committee” to overhaul the association’s governance. Whether the hearing uncovers new facts and whether the committee’s proposals lead to real change will determine whether this moment becomes a one-off reckoning or the country’s first structural overhaul in 40 years.

Where does Korean football go from here?

Even after the hearing and audit, it remains unclear whether the KFA will amend its statutes or revise coach-selection rules. BBC warned that the outcome could either end as a symbolic reprimand or trigger the first major restructuring since the 1980s. For Korean football, the question is whether this crisis finally forces reform of youth systems and association governance — or merely becomes another chapter in the same old story.