Hong Myung-bo's salary may be higher than reported, foreign firm estimates 3.8 billion won

A foreign salary analytics firm has estimated that South Korea national football team head coach Hong Myung-bo earns significantly more than previously reported.

Global salary analytics firm SalaryLeaks published a ranking of estimated annual salaries for coaches of all 48 nations competing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America on its official X (formerly Twitter) account on June 13. According to the ranking, Hong's estimated annual salary is 2.16 million euros ($2.46 million), or around 3.8 billion won, placing him 16th among the 48 coaches.

Hong's salary had previously been reported at around 2 billion won ($1.29 million) — the new estimate is nearly double that figure.

The estimate also puts Hong at more than twice the salary of Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu, whose estimated annual pay stands at 821,000 euros, or about 1.4 billion won.

When Hong was appointed national team head coach in 2024, he told the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee that he had not expected to feel the same sense of responsibility and mission he had 10 years ago, but decided after a meeting to render one final service to the country. His 2-billion-won salary drew criticism at the time, with some asking what kind of "service" comes with a 2-billion-won paycheck.

Mexico's Javier Aguirre, who topped Group A, has an estimated salary of 2.5 million euros, or about 4.4 billion won — higher than Hong's. Hugo Broos, who guided South Africa to second place in the group after beating South Korea, was estimated at 900,000 euros, or about 1.6 billion won.

The highest-paid coach among all 48 nations is Brazil's Carlo Ancelotti, with an estimated salary of 9.5 million euros, or about 16.6 billion won.

Hong's South Korea side lost 1-0 to South Africa in their Group A third-round match at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Mexico, on Wednesday (local time). With one win and two losses — three points — South Korea currently sit sixth in the race for third-place qualification.

Why did South Korea suffer a shock defeat to South Africa? Hong said he could not identify a clear cause after the Group A third-round loss, which left the team with a disappointing third-place finish in the group.