Summary of Key Points
After the South Korean national football team was eliminated in the group stage of the World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, head coach Hong Myung-pu resigned. However, the incident did not subside: President Lee Jae-myeong publicly criticized it as a "mistake in organization and personnel selection," pointing out the lack of transparency in the coaching appointment process and inadequate oversight. Hong Myung-pu's appointment itself was a flawed process involving political manipulations within the football federation, with power struggles and factionalism at play. This incident also exposed long-standing issues of corruption and internal strife within South Korea's sports community, leading to calls for administrative reforms in sports.
1. The Coaching Appointment Process: A Farce
Hong Myung-pu's second term as head coach was a clear case of a "scripted" operation. Following Klinsmann's resignation after the 2024 Asian Cup, the South Korean Football Federation claimed it would select a new coach from a list of 97 candidates. After half a year of deliberation, however, Lee Lin-sung (former head coach of Tianjin Teda in the Chinese Super League, with only one win in 11 matches) failed to negotiate with any foreign coaches, and instead, Hong Myung-pu was appointed within half an hour—a situation mocked by netizens as if the decision had been made over a barbecue meal.
Why such haste? Because Hong Myung-pu is a close associate of federation president Chung Mong-koo, who is also an alumnus of Korea University. To promote him, Chung Mong-koo even clashed with the head of the selection committee, excluding Park Hyeong-woo, a candidate favored by other members of the committee. The so-called list of 97 candidates and the foreign coach options were merely for show; the process was essentially a formality to appoint someone from within the inner circle.
2. The President's Direct Criticisms: Sports Issues Rising to the Level of Public Governance
Hong Myung-pu is the first head coach to be directly criticized by the South Korean president on two occasions:
- In September 2024, after a draw against Palestine, fans protested at the presidential palace, and President Yoon Suk-yeol ordered an investigation into the coaching appointment process, stating that it was not conducted in accordance with regulations. However, this matter was later dropped following Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment and arrest.
- This time, after the World Cup elimination, Lee Jae-myeong directly blamed the failure on placing personal interests above the public good and highlighted the lack of oversight.
Why does the president intervene in football? The national team represents the country's image, and the manipulation of such a public affair by private interests is a governance issue. It's similar to government projects being awarded to cronies, which naturally infuriates the public, forcing the president to take action.
3. Intense Factional Struggles in Football
The internal strife within South Korean football is even more severe than the team's on-field performance:
- Within the Federation: Korea University and Yonsei University are rivals, and Chung Mong-koo, from Korea University, pushed for Hong Myung-pu's appointment, expelling those from Yonsei University.
- Within the National Team: Players form cliques based on age and background—Sun Heung-min's veteran group, Kim Min-jae's middle-aged group, and Lee Kang-in's younger group. During training, they only interact with their own teammates, leading to conflicts between Sun Heung-min and Lee Kang-in.
- In the Media: Former World Cup teammates split into two camps; Park Ji-sung criticized the team for lacking an offensive strategy, while Ahn Jung-hwan defended Hong Myung-pu, resulting in criticism from fans for being too compromising.
4. Corruption in Sports Is No Newcomer
Corruption in South Korea's sports community is a long-standing problem:
- In 2023, the South Korean Football Federation attempted to grant amnesty to 100 football professionals, 48 of whom were suspected of match-fixing. Public protests led to the withdrawal of the amnesty, but the resignations of federation officials did little to address the issue.
- A 2022 survey showed that 74.4% of South Koreans believed corruption in sports was severe, with issues such as unfair selection and bullying being particularly prominent.
The World Cup elimination was just the catalyst; all these hidden problems came to light, similar to a company's tax evasion being discovered only after a major loss.
5. The Challenges to Reform
Reforming South Korea's sports system is difficult for several reasons:
- Power Monopoly: Influential figures like Chung Mong-koo (with ties to the Hyundai Group) control the federation, making reforms threaten their interests.
- Deep-Seated Factionalism: The rivalry between Korea University and Yonsei University, as well as conflicts between overseas and domestic players, cannot be resolved overnight.
- Lack of Youth Development: South Korea's youth teams are lagging behind Japan, and there is a shortage of talent for the senior team. Reform requires long-term investment and more than just empty rhetoric.
Reforming South Korean sports is like trying to revitalize a failing company without changing the management or dismissing outdated employees; the first step is to eliminate those who are resisting change.
In Conclusion
The South Korean team's defeat was not an accident but a result of long-standing corruption, abuse of power, and internal strife within the sports community. Whether this incident will lead to real reform depends on whether Lee Jae-myeong has the courage to challenge those with vested interests.