South Korean football is dead! …furious fans claim, demand sweeping reforms

South Korean football is dead – those words on the sign floating above the angry crowd said it all.

Fans had gathered outside Seoul’s Incheon airport to confront the national team as they returned home after being knocked out of the World Cup in the group stage.

Their ire was directed at one man in particular: Coach Hong Myung-bo, a former captain and footballing hero now faulted for his team’s unimpressive run on the biggest sporting stage.

And they couldn’t have made that clearer. Supporters beat drums and shouted, “Hong out!” some even following him all the way to his car, even as others cheered for the players walking behind Hong.

His appointment was met with opposition right from the start, embroiling the Korea Football Association (KFA) in a drawn-out controversy. Critics have long accused it of lacking transparency and fairness, saying coaches and key figures were often picked because of personal connections rather than a merit-based process – an allegation the KFA has denied.

“At the heart of the problem is KFA’s incompetence,” said sports critic Choi Dong-ho.

Those charges and questions resurfaced after an earlier-than-expected exit from this World cup, triggering what some say is a long overdue reckoning in South Korean football.

Hong apologised and resigned – saying the responsibility “rests entirely with me” – while President Lee Jae Myung called for an investigation.

Several high-profile names were reportedly under consideration, including Jesse Marsch, who is now coaching the Canadian team and was widely seen as a strong candidate.

Hong was chosen, it was alleged at the time, because senior KFA officials, including chairman Chung Mong-gyu, a South Korean businessman from the Hyundai family, favoured him personally. Some even claimed one of the reasons was that they had attended the same university.

The questions intensified after Park Joo-ho, a former player and a member of the KFA committee that recommended coaches, alleged that Hong’s appointment had not followed procedure.

The KFA rejected Park’s claims, insisting Hong’s appointment followed due process, and warned him that it was considering legal action. But his allegations drew support from some fans and even prominent figures in Korean football. Among those backing Park was Park Ji-sung, a national footballing legend and former Manchester United midfielder.

“I think people have lost trust in the KFA, and it will take a long time for the association to regain that trust,” he told local media. “I don’t expect things to change after this interview. But I felt I should at least express my thoughts.” –BBC

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