South Korea's elimination from the World Cup group stage sparks presidential condemnation; coach Hong Myung-bo announces resignation.

South Korean national team coach Hong Myung-bo officially announced his resignation on Sunday after the team was eliminated in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup.

Prior to this, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung publicly condemned the team's performance, stating that such an outcome was almost inevitable when loyalty and factional infighting superseded competence, and when incompetent individuals were appointed to leadership positions, and apologized to the nation.

In this World Cup, South Korea was drawn into Group A with Mexico, South Africa, and the Czech Republic, and their chances of advancing were initially considered promising. However, they suffered consecutive 0-1 defeats to South Africa and Mexico, ultimately only managing a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic to secure 3 points and miss out on the knockout stage.

This marks the second time since 2014 that 57-year-old former captain Hong Myung-bo has led the South Korean team to an early exit in the group stage of the World Cup.

In response to criticism, Hong Myung-bo said in an interview in Mexico: "In the past two years, whenever I needed to make important decisions, select players, or prepare for training and matches, I always asked myself the same question: Is this decision the right choice for Korean football?"

"I can't say that every decision I made was correct, but I can tell you that every decision I made was based on the interests of South Korean football."

Since taking over as manager in July 2024, Hong Myung-bo has faced considerable criticism from the media and fans. In the crucial match against South Africa, his decision to bench veteran captain Son Heung-min ultimately led to the team's defeat. Hong Myung-bo stated that he will continue to wholeheartedly support the national team even after stepping down.

Image source: Internet