South Korean President Orders Investigation Into World Cup Failure After Early Exit

South Korea's early elimination from the 2026 World Cup after a 0-1 loss to South Africa has sparked a major controversy in the country. President Lee Jae-myung instructed the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to conduct a thorough investigation into the reasons behind the national team's disappointing performance. He expressed shock and deep regret over the outcome, apologizing to the public for the "deep disappointment" caused by the team's failure. Lee emphasized that since significant public funds and state resources were invested in the World Cup campaign, authorities must carefully examine the circumstances and implement comprehensive measures to prevent a recurrence and improve future results.

The president also criticized the South Korean Football Association and the process that led to the appointment of head coach Hong Myung-bo. Lee pointed out difficulties in oversight and accountability within the current system and suggested that the selection of the coach may have been influenced by insufficient separation between public and private interests. He stressed that professional competence should be the primary criterion when choosing leadership.

Hong Myung-bo, a former top Asian player with 136 national team appearances, was appointed coach in 2024 and led South Korea to World Cup qualification without a loss in the qualifiers. Following the team's exit, he announced his resignation, taking full responsibility for the disappointing campaign. South Korea finished the group stage with three points from three matches, defeating the Czech Republic but losing to Mexico and South Africa, and failed to advance to the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams.