S. Korea's Early World Cup Exit Triggers 'Utterly Baffled' Tirade by President
By Reuters | 28 Jun, 2026

President Lee Jae Myung blamed the country's early World Cup exit on coach Hong Myung-bo and demanded a sports ministry-led investigation into the national team's performance.

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group A - South Africa v South Korea - Fans gather in Seoul - Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul, South Korea - June 24, 2026 South Korea fans react as they watch the match REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has blamed the country's early World Cup exit on favouritism in personnel appointments and blasted coach Hong Myung-bo, while demanding a sports ministry-led investigation into the national team's performance.

"I am not just taken aback by this unexpected outcome, I am utterly baffled," Lee posted on X on Sunday, reacting to the team's elimination despite being widely expected to advance from a relatively easy group.

"Once again, it has been proven that personnel decisions are everything. When 'us versus them' is prioritised over competence, and an incompetent person is selected as a leader, the outcome is as clear as day."

Successive losses to Mexico and South Africa left South Korea third in Group A, outside the eight best third-placed teams advancing to the round of 32.

Hong's re-appointment as national team manager in 2024 had already led to allegations of favouritism and an opaque hiring process from Korean media, all of which Hong denied.

"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," Lee wrote.

A petition to dismiss Hong posted on the website of the national assembly on Thursday quickly gained the signatures it required for an initial review, while social media posts showing shops with signs banning Hong from the premises have gone viral in South Korea.

"The failure to qualify... which has left the public feeling disheartened, appears to be the result of organisational and personnel failures," Lee said.

"I ask that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism thoroughly investigate the exact circumstances of this incident, analyze its causes, and develop measures to prevent recurrence and ensure improvement."

(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh Lawson)