South Korea exits World Cup; coach Hong Myung‑bo resigns after group‑stage elimination

South Korea finished third in Group A of the 2026 World Cup and were eliminated after a 1‑0 loss to lower‑ranked South Africa, missing the knockout stage by a narrow margin. Coach Hong Myung‑bo, who took charge in July 2024, announced his resignation, stating “the responsibility is entirely on me”. The squad received a prize of about 800 million won (≈ 2 million USD) per player, but no additional bonuses as the team failed to advance.

President Lee Jae Myung publicly apologized, describing the result as “unacceptable” and blaming “incompetent people” being appointed to leadership positions. He pledged swift reforms of sports administration. Korean fans reacted angrily, calling for the coach’s dismissal and demanding an investigation into the football association’s hiring practices. Some media briefly blamed Japan’s group‑stage result, but domestic commentators and former players rejected shifting responsibility, emphasizing systemic issues within Korean football. The episode mirrors the 2014 World Cup exit under the same coach, reigniting debate over the national team’s direction.

Key quotations: “I offer my deepest apologies to the public for the profound disappointment caused by this unacceptable outcome,” said President Lee. Hong Myung‑bo added, “I could not deliver the result the public expected; the responsibility is entirely on me.”