'Utterly baffled' - President Lee Jae Myung slams Korea Republic's World Cup performance, takes aim at 'incompetent' manager Hong Myung-bo
Published 28/06/2026 at 15:57 GMT+1
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South Korea president Lee Jae Myung has condemned the national team after their unexpected exit in the group stage of the World Cup. A 1-0 defeat to South Africa brought Korea Republic's tournament to a premature end.
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There had been high expectations in the country following a run to the last 16 in Qatar four years ago.
But Korea Republic, despite starting with a 2-1 win over Czechia, crashed out after an ignominious loss to South Africa, which came after defeat to co-hosts Mexico.
In what was likely his final appearance at a World Cup, Son Heung-min was a subdued figure throughout, and did not start the South Africa match.
Korea Republic finished third in their group, but with three points and a goal difference of -1, they placed 10th in the third-placed teams table (only the top eight advanced to the last 32).
And Lee made clear his thoughts on his country's performance at the tournament.
"I am not just taken aback by this unexpected outcome, I am utterly baffled," Lee wrote on X.
He directed his disappointment towards manager Hong Myung-bo, who has been at the helm since he was re-appointed in 2024, after an earlier stint from 2013 to 2014.
"Once again, it has been proven that personnel decisions are everything," Lee wrote. "When 'us versus them' is prioritised over competence, and an incompetent person is selected as a leader, the outcome is as clear as day."
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Allegations of favouritism were made by the Korean press when Hong was given the job for a second time, and Lee suggested the country's football association should in future undergo a much more rigorous process.
"The reason such botched appointments - which fail to distinguish between public and private interests, and prioritise personal gain over the public good - are possible is that it is impossible or difficult to monitor, check, and hold those with appointment authority accountable," he added.
Hong is under increasing pressure for having overseen the failure, with a petition to sack the manager posted on the website of the national assembly gaining enough signatures for a review.
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"The failure to qualify, which has left the public feeling disheartened, appears to be the result of organisational and personnel failures," Lee wrote.
"I ask that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to thoroughly investigate the exact circumstances of this incident, analyse its causes, and develop measures to prevent recurrence and ensure improvement."
Why Son was left out of starting XI
Hong himself admitted responsibility immediately after the loss to South Africa.
"Ultimately, it comes down to me," he said. "I guess I made the wrong decisions, and that was the reason why we had a bad result. Nothing more, nothing less."
Asked why he left out Son, Hong said: "We thought that Son Heung-min would be better placed when they were losing their energy, and when we could see more spaces.
"That's why we wanted Son to be at his strongest, and the opponent to be a bit weaker."
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