Petition calls for Korea head coach's immediate dismissal after World Cup setback
Korea coach Hong Myung-bo leaves the pitch following the Korean national team's 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A match against Mexico in Guadalajara, Mexico, June 18. Reuters-Yonhap
Enraged petition follows Korea's loss to South Africa
A petition is calling for the immediate dismissal of Korean national football team head coach Hong Myung-bo, just hours after the team's 0-1 loss to South Africa in its final Group A match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a defeat that ended Korea's hopes of securing an automatic berth in the Round of 32.
The petition, posted on the National Assembly's public petition website on Thursday, is seeking Hong's immediate dismissal and the "introduction of a system to invalidate coaching appointments made in violation of official procedures."
Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo attends a press conference in Guadalajara, Thursday, ahead of a recovery training session following Korea's loss against South Africa a day earlier in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A match. The Korean national football team has returned to their base camp in Guadalajara and are awaiting the results of other groups to determine whether they will advance to the Round of 32. Yonhap
The petitioner, identified only by the surname Jeon, argued that Hong's appointment had been tainted by procedural flaws from the outset. "Hong's appointment was surrounded by numerous allegations and procedural defects," the petitioner wrote. "The Korea Football Association's official selection process was effectively ignored, making it difficult to avoid criticism that the appointment was fundamentally illegitimate."
The petition also blamed Hong for the national team's "lifeless" performance at the World Cup.
"Despite fielding what many considered the strongest squad in Korea's World Cup history, the team finished with one win and two losses, placing third in the group," the petitioner wrote. "The performance against South Africa was so lifeless that it could be regarded as one of the worst displays by a Korean team in World Cup history."
South Africa coach Hugo Broos, right, shakes hands with Korea coach Hong Myung-bo before the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A match at Estadio Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico, Wednesday. Reuters-Yonhap
The petitioner further claimed that the players had failed to reach their full potential under a coach whose appointment was allegedly improper.
Aside from Hong's removal, the petition also urged sweeping reforms to the governance of the Korea Football Association (KFA).
Specifically, it stressed the need for a rule that would automatically invalidate coaching appointments made in violation of official procedures. It also called for stronger administrative oversight of the KFA through the National Assembly's budgetary authority and a ban on informal or prearranged coaching appointments while imposing strict penalties for violations.
"The arbitrary appointment of a head coach by a particular individual while bypassing official bodies such as the National Team Strengthening Committee must be strictly prohibited," the petitioner wrote. "The only way to prevent the privatization of the football association is through the power of an institutional system."
Korea captain Son Heung-min, center, and his teammates warm up during a recovery training session at their base camp in Guadalajara, Mexico, Thursday, after losing to South Africa the previous day in their third Group A match during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Yonhap
The petition quickly secured the 100 endorsements required to qualify for an initial review by the National Assembly.
The Assembly is currently deciding whether to make the petition public. If approved for publication, the signature campaign will reopen on the parliamentary petition website. Should it receive at least 50,000 signatures within 30 days of publication, it will be referred to the relevant standing committee for review.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.