South Korean leader Lee Jae-myung on June 28 instructed the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to investigate why the national team failed to advance past the group stage of the 2026 World Cup.
“Since participating in the World Cup requires significant taxpayer funds and extensive state support, I ask the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to thoroughly examine the circumstances of this outcome, conduct a detailed analysis of the causes, devise measures to prevent such situations in the future, and present a concrete reform plan,” the head of state wrote on his page on social network X.
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Lee Jae-myung also noted that the team’s elimination from the World Cup was the result of mistakes in organizational management and personnel policy. He added that the authorities would immediately begin reforming the sports management system to avoid a repeat of this situation in the future. The South Korean leader apologized to the country’s citizens.
The Yonhap News Agency reported on June 28 that Hong Myung-bo stepped down as head coach of the Republic of Korea national football team after the team’s performance at the World Cup concluded. The South Korean team finished third in Group A. The squad accumulated three points and failed to secure a spot in the knockout stages of the global tournament.
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