South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung has ordered a government investigation into the national football team's shock World Cup exit after describing the performance as "utterly baffling." The extraordinary intervention came just hours after head coach Hong Myung-bo announced he was stepping down following South Korea's failure to reach the knockout stages.
President Demands Answers
President Lee said the country's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism must now investigate what went wrong, with the national team having fallen at the first hurdle despite arriving at the tournament as the second-highest-ranked side in their group. South Korea finished with three points from their three matches, beating the Czech Republic but suffering defeats to co-hosts Mexico and South Africa. Those results left their hopes of progressing as one of the best third-placed teams hanging by a thread before elimination was confirmed.
In a lengthy statement, President Lee apologised to supporters and questioned the way the national team had been run. "I am not just taken aback by this unexpected outcome — I am utterly baffled," he said. "Given that significant national taxpayer funds and state support resources are invested even in World Cup participation, I ask that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism thoroughly investigate the precise circumstances of this incident, analyse its causes, and develop thorough measures for preventing recurrence and improvement. We will swiftly push forward with reforms to sports administration to ensure such a thing never happens again."
Coach Resigns Amid Controversy
The president also appeared to question the appointment process that brought Hong back as head coach in 2024, suggesting "competence" had not been prioritised and calling for greater accountability from those responsible for key decisions. Hong accepted responsibility for South Korea's disappointing campaign and confirmed he would leave his post. "It was not an easy decision for me to take this role, but once I took it, I thought about nothing else except being responsible until the very last moment," he said. "I take all the responsibility."
The 57-year-old, who won 136 caps for South Korea as a player and is regarded as one of the country's greatest footballers, returned for a second spell as national team boss in 2024 after previously managing the side in 2013. His appointment proved controversial, with South Korea's sports ministry previously raising concerns over the recruitment process and alleging the Korean Football Association had failed to follow its own procedures. The KFA denied any wrongdoing.
Stunning Fall from Grace
South Korea had qualified for the 2026 World Cup without losing a match, making their group-stage exit one of the biggest disappointments of the tournament for the Asian nation. The investigation will scrutinise the team's preparation, management decisions, and the use of public funds, with President Lee vowing to implement reforms to prevent a repeat of the national scandal.
