Jeong Mong-kyu, the president of the Korea Football Association, and Hong Myung-bo, the former head coach of the national football team, appeared before a National Assembly hearing on July 30, where they expressed regret over the team's poor performance in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The hearing, conducted by the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, was convened in response to growing public criticism following the national team's exit from the group stage of the World Cup. It aimed to examine the overall operations of the Korea Football Association, the coaching selection process, and allegations of opaque administration.
In his opening remarks, Jeong stated, "I made every effort to advance Korean football during my tenure, but I sincerely apologize for the controversies and the unsatisfactory results in the World Cup." He added, "As the president of the football association, I feel a deep sense of responsibility and regret for not meeting the expectations of the public and football fans. After resigning, I will focus on my business and contribute to society."
Hong, who sat alongside Jeong, also apologized, saying, "I want to express my sincere apologies to the public for not meeting their expectations in the World Cup." He acknowledged, "I take full responsibility for not living up to the hopes placed in the national team and will share the facts as I know them without evasion."
He also expressed remorse towards the players, stating, "I want to convey my gratitude and apologies to the players who fought until the end despite the difficult circumstances. I feel a heavy sense of responsibility for not being able to reward their efforts. I will take the significance of this occasion seriously and will listen carefully to the questions and respond sincerely."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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