Hong Myung-bo resigned as South Korea head coach after the team’s group-stage exit from the World Cup. | Photo Credit: AFP

South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo resigned on Sunday, reports said, a day after his side’s group-stage exit from the World Cup.

The 57-year-old former captain, in his second stint as coach, oversaw an early World Cup exit for the second time, after South Korea’s failure in 2014.

South Korea was expected to progress from Group A, which included co-host Mexico, South Africa and the Czech Republic.

But it lost 1-0 to South Africa and Mexico, and finished on three points, its only win coming in a 2-1 victory over the Czechs.

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It left South Korea hoping to squeeze into the knockout rounds as one of the eight best third-placed finishers.

That hope was extinguished on Saturday by results elsewhere, with Hong taking responsibility on Sunday and quitting, Yonhap News Agency said.

Hong’s second spell in charge had come under scrutiny even before the tournament, with his reappointment in 2024 drawing criticism over the hiring process.

The latest exit added to the pressure on the former defender, who had also resigned after South Korea’s winless campaign at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Published on Jun 28, 2026