Hong Myung-bo had a rare second chance, but he could not make it count. What hurts more than his unceremonious exit, however, must be the probe South Korea’s president, Lee Jae Myung, ordered into the national football administration.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung ordered an investigation, hinting at a possible fault in selecting the national team’s coaching staff.

“I’m not only surprised by this unexpected result, but completely bewildered,” Motivaciones Futbol quoted President Lee. “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,” Lee further said via X.

The KFA selected Hong Myung-bo as South Korea’s manager for the second time in 2024. His first stint with the national team ended shortly after a winless FIFA World Cup 2014. Still, Myung-bo had the opportunity to make things right in the 2026 World Cup. However, South Korea’s campaign came to an end after 1 win and 2 losses, and a group-stage elimination. Myung-bo resigned, taking all the responsibilities, but that didn’t end the discussion.

South Korea entered the World Cup after going unbeaten in the qualification rounds. They were in Group A in the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the second-highest-ranked team. However, after winning the first game against the Czech Republic, the consecutive losses against Mexico and South Africa left South Korea third in the group.

Criticisms skyrocketed, especially after losing 1-0 to South Africa on Thursday. Despite the Korean side being ranked 32nd in the FIFA men’s rankings and led by Son Heung-min, Myoung-bo’s side lost to a 60th-ranked team. Hong played a gamble by dropping captain Son Heung-min from the game, but it backfired.

Just as South Korea’s elimination was confirmed, Myung-bo took no time to resign. “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,” Hong said. “I can not say every decision has been the right one. But I can tell you that I have made every decision with Korean football in mind.”

However, a bigger storm might be waiting as the South Korean team is preparing to come back home.

Controversy followed since Hong was selected as South Korea’s manager for the second time. Reportedly, KFA president Chung Mong-gyu had a preference for foreign managers over domestic managers. He tried to block Hong’s appointment, only to be vetoed by other executives. Hong was well-decorated during his playing time. In the FIFA World Cup 2002, he led the team to a semi-final finish. Still, fans were disappointed with him as manager for the second time after his first stint went winless in the FIFA World Cup 2014.

KFA’s top brass were accused of favoritism. After an early exit from the 2026 World Cup, the controversy will certainly get to the next level. South Korean President joining the bandwagon means we haven’t likely heard the last of this fiasco.

South Korea’s FIFA World Cup fiasco may be taking a wrong turn

It was expected that there would be a fan protest after their national team’s early exit from the FIFA World Cup. However, things are getting a little too serious now.

According to the South Korean police, they have been notified of possible security threats at Incheon Airport after a death threat has reportedly been made against Hong. The social media post of the threat also claimed that it was a 41-year-old American citizen behind the screen. Myung-bo is also facing public fans.

A Korean restaurant in Hojeong-dong, Dongan-gu, Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, went viral. They put a sign in the entrance, saying, “Hong Myung-bo is prohibited from entering.” Another butcher shop from Gimje also shared a photo of prohibiting Hong’s entry after the FIFA World Cup debacle. The KFA will now reportedly skip the homecoming events initially planned for the team. The squad is coming back in separate flights, and the first group will return by Tuesday.

No airport event is planned after their disastrous run. Notably, the South Korean team had a homecoming event after their 1 draw and 2 losses campaign in the FIFA World Cup 2014. This time, nothing is planned. Now that the president has ordered an investigation into the selection of Hong, let’s see how things play out in the South Korean soccer community.