South Korea, prosecuted Hong Myung-bo: former coach left the country, headed for the United States
After early qualification to the 2026 Mundial, Hong Myung‑bo left South Korea and flew to the United States due to intense criticism and threats to his life.
South Korea's failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup — qualifying only in the group phase — has sparked a backlash that has reached into former coach Hong Myung‑bo's personal life.
According to the report, Hong has been subjected to relentless attacks on social media and has been the target of threats, including serious threats to his life. Incidents that say he is forbidden to enter some public places have also gone viral, causing him to be put in a situation where it is no longer safe to stay in his own country.
<figure style="margin:2rem 0;overflow:hidden;border:1px solid #e2e2e2;background:#f9f9f9"><img src="https://tmw-storage-auto.tcccdn.com/storage/tuttomercatoweb.com/img_notizie/thumb3/d8/d8db0ba7560a9c3c8460f46d62055c01-78468-oooz0000.jpeg" alt="Image" style="width:100%;height:auto;object-fit:contain" loading="lazy" /></figure>Because of this, Hong got on a plane and flew to the United States. It has not been officially announced whether his departure will be permanent, but it is clear that the decision is the result of a looming and stressful environment in South Korea after the huge defeat at the Mundial.
The highest level of politics did not lag behind: South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung labeled the national team's defeat as "completely inexplicable" and announced the opening of an investigation to determine the reasons for the team's early exit from the tournament. Although Hong Myung‑bo was not mentioned directly, he strongly questioned the coach's appointment process and emphasized that it seems merit was not the only basis for selection.
In response, Lee also stated the administration's willingness to carry out sports governance reform to prevent a similar collapse in the future. As the investigation swirls and the future of the national team is considered, the situation with Hong and his family remains sensitive while he is in the United States.
